CBN Articles - Canadian Baseball Networkhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/Sat, 17 Feb 2018 18:21:58 +0000en-USSite-Server v6.0.0-13335-13335 (http://www.squarespace.com)The Canadian Baseball Network ( CBN ) promotes Canadian baseball players
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articles.noContracts for Tepera and Diaz should be interesting for JaysToronto Blue JaysDanny GallagherSat, 17 Feb 2018 18:34:44 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/HOlPcJWQamw/contracts-for-tepera-and-diaz-should-be-interesting-for-jays54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a8872c6ec212d1cb4702b5cNow that the Toronto Blue Jays' salary-arbitration cases have been settled,
Canadian Baseball Network writer Danny Gallagher takes a look at the
players under club control. Reliever Ryan Tepera and newly acquired
infielder Aledmys Diaz are two of the Blue Jays' most prominent
pre-arbitration eligible players.

Now that the Blue Jays' salary-arbitration cases have been settled, let's think about those players, who are under club control.

They are called pre-arbitration eligibles. Usually by March 1 or shortly thereafter, major league clubs tend to cut off negotiations a long time before the regular season starts. In many cases, there are no negotiations. Club representatives tend to just tell agents that there is a figure in the sand and that is it.

Take Dennis Ryan Tepera, who goes by his middle name but who is listed by his two first names with MLBPA executive assistant Rebecca Rivera when I called her for some information.

"You mean, Dennis Ryan Tepera?'' Rivera asked.

Tepera and recently acquired infielder Aledmys Diaz stand to earn the highest salaries in 2018 among Blue Jays who are not eligible for arbitration. Tepera boasts a little more than two years of service time under his belt. He's the reliever stud, who was 7-1 with an ERA of 3.59 ERA in just under 78 innings pitched in 2017. On April 21, he threw three shutout innings against the Los Angeles Angels to earn his first career win.

Tepera was given a 2017 salary of $542,700 and could be Toronto's first non-arbitration player in team history to reach $600,000 in salary. And that's the ballpark figure Diaz might get.

Diaz has finished a four-year contract he signed as a coveted free agent in 2014 with his last team, the Cardinals. He earned $2 million last season but it doesn't mean he will earn more than $2 million in 2018 because he's essentially a player with one year and 100 days of service time in the majors, much less than what Tepera has under his belt.

Diaz, in a solid 2016, hit .300 with 17 homers and 65 RBI with the Cardinals but slipped last season to .259 with seven homers and 20 RBI. Will Diaz be given a salary similar to Tepera because he's now deemed a non-arbitration player and not an international free agent? Probably. It's very likely he will take a huge pay cut from last season.

What do the Jays do with the salary for reliever/starter Joe Biagini? He slumped to 3-13 last season after a strong 2016 campaign when he worked strictly out of the bullpen and fashioned a neat 3.06 ERA in almost 68 innings of work. He earned $543,000 in 2017 but also spent time in triple-A Buffalo.

Back in the late 1990s, Blue Jays players Carlos Delgado, Shawn Green, Alex Gonzalez, Ed Sprague and Pat Hentgen were all given very generous contracts of $500,000, among the highest in baseball at the time, if not the highest. They all had roughly two years of service as non-arbitration eligibles.

As a general rule of thumb, most teams like the Expos back then gave players with two years' service time no more than about $315,000. In 1993, Moises Alou and his agent Bob LaMonte were upset when that figure of $315,000 came up. This year's minimum salary has jumped to $545,000. Last year, it was $535,000 and in 2016, it was $507,500. In 2019, it goes to $555,000.

Another interesting financial scenario involving the Blue Jays is first baseman Justin Smoak, whose contract option for 2019 is tied to what he does in 2018 and what he did in 2017. Smoak and the Jays worked out a deal, whereby his 2019 option would depend on the combined number of appearances he makes in 2017-18.

If Smoak collects a total of 950 plate appearances in 2017-28, his 2019 option would be $7-million and if his PA reach 1,100, the deal would be worth $8-million. If he doesn't reach any of those goals, the salary would be $6-million, if indeed the Blue Jays exercise the option.

Based on his 637 plate appearances in 2017, Smoak is on his way to achieving both goals, if he remains a regular. His team-friendly salary for 2018 is $4.125 million, the same as 2017.

It looks like the real battle for a roster spot in 2018 for the Toronto Blue Jays is going to be in the bullpen. There's an exciting core of young(ish) relievers who are poised to form the nucleus for years to come.

The Core

Roberto OsunaDanny BarnesRyan TeperaJoe BiaginiAaron Loup (L)

These guys are the relative vets, guys who were either in the bullpen full-time last year or really emerged as reliable relievers. Osuna, of course, is the stud closer while Tepera and Biagini will likely bridge the gap to Osuna in the late innings or high leverage situations. Barnes could also be a late-inning guy while Loup will be the first lefty in the pen.

Of these pitchers, I think they'll all be solid in 2018 (although I'm not convinced about Loup). I really like what Tepera and Barnes can do and I think that once Biagini has focused in on coming out of the bullpen for the full season, he'll be very effective again.

The Bubble (40-man edition)

Taylor GuerrieriMatt Dermody (L)Tim Mayza (L)Carlos Ramirez

Guerrieri is probably not going to break camp with the club, mainly because he only pitched in two games last year. I think the Jays will send him to triple-A and he will probably be a starter there (he's started throughout his entire minor league career).

That leaves Dermody and Mayza battling with Craig Breslow (see below) for the second lefty spot. Dermody and Mayza both had their successes and failures in the major leagues last year. I give the edge to Mayza due to pure velocity but both Mayza and Dermody had trouble with right-handed hitters so if one of them can find a way to consistently get righties out, that will give him the edge.

I think Carlos Ramirez has put himself in the conversation for another big league spot. His minor league season last year, in which he didn't give up an earned run over 37 2/3 innings, was phenomenal and his major league debut was pretty impressive too. That said, with three option years left, Ramirez could very well start the year in the minors if the Jays decide to give a non-roster invitee a chance. Look for Ramirez to be a mainstay of the bullpen before the season is done but I don't think he breaks camp.

For the sake of brevity, I've only included non-roster invitees with major league experience in this list. The Blue Jays have also invited minor leaguers Andrew Case, Jose Fernandez (L), Jon Harris, Sean Reid-Foley, Jordan Romano and Justin Shafer, all of whom are on the way up but are unlikely to see the big leagues for an extended period of time this year.

The front runners for a spot out of camp are, among righties, probably Axford, Alburquerque and Petricka.

I'd suggest that McGuire is probably a very dark horse but he did have a lot of success in double-A last year as a starter and with the Reds in his big league debut. I won't write that off completely but I think the veterans looking to come back have an edge there.

Albuquerque has always walked a lot of batters but he had some success in 2017 with KC and Chicago in small sample sizes.

Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) is the sentimental favourite, being an Ontario boy and having had a couple of years as an elite closer with Milwaukee at the beginning of this decade. Still, he's 35 and far removed from those seasons and despite him saving 25 games in Colorado in 2015, he struggled with walks and had one of the highest WHIPs of his career that year. In 2017, it was just ugly for Axford as he walked 17 batters in 21 innings with Oakland, pitching to a 6.43 ERA.

Petricka also struggled in 2017, posting a 7.01 ERA in 25 2/3 innings with the White Sox. For Petricka, injuries have been his problem as he only threw eight innings in 2016. The youngest of this group of veterans on minor league contracts, Petricka has 181 major league appearances on his resume and had a 2.96 ERA in 2014 in 73 innings.

Rhiner Cruz is almost certainly on the outside looking in. He last appeared in the majors in 2013 and has been kicking around internationally since. He spent 2017 in the Braves' organization pitching in triple-A with a solid 2.84 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, striking out 63 in 50 2/3 innings.

Chris Rowley had a very promising start to his major league career but got hit fairly hard after that. Rowley's big issue is that, like Girodo (see below), he doesn't throw hard, scraping 90 mph with his fastball (MLB.com gives his sinker an average velo of 88.98 mph). For Rowley, he needs to be more fine with his command and I don't think he'll get a chance to work on that in the big leagues.

I think Breslow is the likeliest of this group to emerge from spring training with a job in Toronto. Breslow's coming off a rough 2017 spent mostly with Minnesota (5.23 ERA and 1.61 WHIP with just 18 strikeouts in 31 innings) but he was used a lot against righties and is probably a true LOOGY.

Breslow's competing with Mayza, Dermody and Girodo but I think Girodo is the odd man out. As a lefty, he's going to able to pitch in Buffalo and if he regains his touch this year, he can find his way to Toronto at some point but he's got at least three guys ahead of him on the depth chart and another non-roster invitee, Jose Fernandez, has a ton of potential and another big arm.

So what do I think the bullpen looks like to start the year? If we assume the Jays carry eight relievers I think the following pitchers are on the club:

OsunaBarnesTeperaBiaginiLoup (L)Breslow (L)PetrickaAxford

That said, I think the leash will be short for the three non-roster pitchers and I have a feeling that at least one of them will not make it to May.

What do you think? Who do you think breaks camp with the club?

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Ryan Tepera came into his own in 2017. Finally given a chance to stick with the big league team for the full year, Tepera became one of the most relied-upon members of the Toronto Blue Jays' bullpen, particularly since Joe Biagini was pressed into duty as a starter for part of the year.

Tepera came into 2017 as a reliever who had been a starter for most of his minor league career but he experienced an uptick in velocity when he went to the bullpen, sharpening his pitches. In 2015, he made his major league debut and got into 33 innings. In 2016, he only got into 20 big league games for 18 1/3 innings, moving up and down between Toronto and triple-A Buffalo all year. Despite impressive numbers in both of those seasons, he wasn't able to hang on to a big league spot.

It's quite possible that the fact that the Blue Jays were so far out of contention for pretty much all of 2017 was what enabled Tepera to stay in Toronto all year, carving out his niche as a high-leverage reliever.

Looking over Tepera's stats over the course of the year, I'm pretty amazed at how consistent he was. While he had an incredible May (holding batters to a .421 OPS) and a mediocre July (with batters posting a .780 OPS against him), looking at first- and second-half numbers (3.77 ERA, 1.125 WHIP in the first half, 3.34 ERA, 1.144 WHIP in the second half), they're not too far off from each other.

Tepera's effectiveness is likely due to the three different pitches that Brooks Baseball tracks him using most of the time. He throws a cutter in the high 80s that has some sharp break to it, a four-seam fastball that actually got harder as the season went on (averaging 95.00 mph in April and 95.49 mph in September) and a sinker that is thrown slightly harder than his fastball. While he has a slider around 81-83 mph, again according to Brooks Baseball, he only threw seven of them all year. He threw the four-seam fastball 35.25% of the time, the sinker 23.34% of the time and cutter 40.44% of the time, although as the season wore on, he started to favour the sinker over the other two and he threw the cutter less after peaking at 48.02% usage in June.

So what does Tepera's overall season look like? He threw 77 2/3 innings with a 3.59 ERA and 1.13 WHIP, striking out 25.4% of batters and walking 9.7%. He pitched better against righties (.581 OPS) than lefties (.715) OPS and had a pretty even split of ground balls to fly balls (41.6% on the ground, 40.6% fly balls) which was well down from his high ground ball rate (58.5%) in 2016 albeit in a smaller sample size. Batters also pulled the ball more (40.2% over 33.9%), which is likely due to Tepera relying so much on his three different fastballs, varying velocity much less than when he threw his slider more.

Tepera, now 30, racked up 1.0 fWAR and 1.2 rWAR in his third big league season and he's poised to be heavily used in 2018 as a high-leverage reliever along with Biagini. I'm excited to see the Blue Jays' 'pen in 2018 as it promises to have several young(ish), cheap pitchers with bright futures. Tepera is one of them.

Contract Status

With 2.008 years of major league service time, Tepera is likely arbitration eligible after 2018 and will probably make slightly over the major league minimum this year.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: AEmily: AWesley James: A

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In all 15 Canucks are mentioned in the Perfect Game and Baseball America conference previews. Besides Pompey, Lloyd, Wilson and Stevenson all making both publications so did two others: RHP Jackson Wark (St Albert, Alta.) of the Saint Louis Billikens and RHP Brady Moxham (Oakville, Man.) of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

Toronto Mets grad Tristan Pompey is picked as SEC's pre-season player of the year by Baseball America.

SECBaseball AmericaPlayer of the Year: Tristan Pompey, OF, Kentucky.

Pompey earned All-America honors last season as a sophomore after hitting .361/.464/.541 with 10 home runs and nine stolen bases. The Wildcats have to replace some key pieces of their lineup, including leading hitter Evan White, but Pompey is ready to take on a larger role. Pompey is one of the toolsiest players in the conference and his play will be critical as the Wildcats look to make their first ever CWS appearance.

Southeastern Conference (SEC) NotebookPerfect GameKentucky: Popular Golden Spikes preseason picks include outfielder and five-tool star Tristan Pompey as well as their 6-foot-11 Friday night starter Sean Hjelle, the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year. Pompey’s presence in the lineup can’t be overstated as his hitting skills are impressive to go along with top-flight athleticism.

Big 10Baseball AmericaTeam to Beat: Indiana.

Indiana gets several key pieces back from that team including infielder/righthander Matt Lloyd (.301/.393/.554, 11 HR), third baseman Luke Miller (.272/.331/.464, 10 HR) and outfielder Logan Sowers (.291/.356/.536, 13 HR), three big bats in the middle of its order who could have moved on to pro ball. The pitching staff returns largely intact, led by Lloyd (3-2, 2.23, 9 SV).

Indiana: Star two-way player Matt Lloyd will do both again in 2018, working out of the back end of the bullpen while also keeping his dangerous bat in the lineup by way of playing some second base, first base, and designated hitter.

One-time Ontario Blue Jays SS Royce Ando (Mississauga, Ont.)

Michigan State: Returners Royce Ando at shortstop, Bryce Kelley in the outfield and Zack McGuire in the infield are all back and penciled into a very solid starting nine.

Former Vauxhall Academy Jet LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.)

Atlantic SunPerfect GameStetson: Freshman Austin Wood and senior lefthander Ben Onyshko round out the four-man staff and look to bridge the gap to closer Brooks Wilson, who led the team with 107 2/3 innings as a starter last spring.

Former Ontario Blue Jays LHP Steven Dressler (Burlington, Ont.) is a fixture with the San Antonio Roadrunners.

Conference USATexas-San Antonio: Experience is key for winning college baseball games, and in a quick look the UTSA pitching staff certainly has that as all four projected starters – Steven Dressler, Chance Kirby, Jordan Rodriguez and Karan Patel – are all seniors and return with valuable innings under their belts. Dressler will lead the staff after going 4-4 with a 3.99 ERA over 14 starts.

Perfect GameSouthlandLamar: Kristjan Storrie and Tanner Driskill both show big arms and will undoubtedly be called upon frequently at the end of games, though Driskill could be used in a variety of roles.

Cal State Northridge: Offensive production will be a key in 2018 as the Matadors hit just .261 a year ago. Third baseman Nolan Bumstead, shortstop Alvaro Rubalcaba and slugger Albie Weiss make for a formidable top part of the order. Canadian freshman lefthander Wes Moore has a plus changeup and he is a future weekend starter.

Former Okotoks Dawgs 1B Dane Tofteland (Grande Prairie, Alta.)

Perfect GameMissouri VallleyIndiana State: First baseman Dane Tofteland is poised for a big season as well after a strong fall and should be one of the primary offensive contributors after hitting .289 with six home runs last season.

Former Kingston Thunder Matt Brash earned rookie of the year honours last spring

Canisius: Liam Wilson and Mark McKenna head a lineup that brings back plenty of talent to a team that was third in the conference in batting average a year ago. The starting staff returns all three pitchers from last season in Andrew Sipowicz, Andrew Kneussle, and J.P. Stevenson.

Niagara: The Purple Eagles return a pair of Preseason All-Conference starting pitchers in Cody Eckerson and Matthew Brash. A year ago the duo combined for 11 wins and a 2.59 ERA in 132 1/3 innings.

Baseball AmericaTeam to Beat: Canisius.

Yes, Canisius lost 2017 conference player of the year Jake Lumley (.355/.436/.461) to the draft, but the Golden Griffins should still roll out one of the league’s best offenses with dangerous hitters throughout the order including senior third baseman Liam Wilson (.343/.422/.505). There’s plenty of experience returning on the mound as well with junior righthander Andrew Sipowicz (6-3, 3.48) slated for Friday night games and senior lefthander J.P. Stevenson (9-5, 3.65) projected to go on Saturdays.

Central Michigan: The rotation is expected to feature some order of Patrick Leatherman, Tyler Hankins and Michael Brettell along with sophomore Zach Kohn looking like the fourth starter right now.

Atlantic 10Baseball America

Saint Louis: Ace righthander Miller Hogan (8-3, 2.70) and Saturday starter Jackson Wark (5-5, 4.66) have some of the best pure stuff in the conference and will form a dangerous one-two punch.

Prospects Academy's RHP Jackson Wark

Perfect GameSaint Louis: Jackson Wark returns to the rotation in the No. 2 slot, followed by JuCo transfer Cody Luther and senior Connor Lehmann, who is healthy and ready to go.

Summit LeaguePerfect GameSouth Dakota State: Two transfers in will be joining Stover in the rotation as sophomore Brady Moxham and junior Korey Kuhlmann will both be expected to provide significant innings this spring.

Vauxhall grad RHP Brady Moxham (Oakville, Man.)

Baseball AmericaNotable Storylines: South Dakota State could be the team with the best chance to unseat Oral Roberts. Righthander Brady Moxham, a junior college transfer, throws a heavy 88-92 mph sinker with an above-average changeup and should be a force on Friday nights.

]]>Rave pre-season reviews for Lloyd, Pompey, Stevenson, Wilsonhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/pre-season-rave-reviews-for-lloydpompey-stevenson-wilsonCanadian ball hall membership comes in handy on induction weekendMajor Leagues (MLB)Canadians in the MajorsDanny GallagherFri, 16 Feb 2018 19:29:40 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/cQZbgAa8Ox4/canadian-ball-hall-membership-comes-in-handy-on-induction-weekend54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a872ddd652deae3e45c3aa1If you are looking to get autographs from new Canadian Baseball Hall of
Fame inductees Pedro Martinez, Lloyd Moseby and Bill Humber June 16 in St.
Marys, Ont. and don't want to be in a long lineup, it will be easier if you
acquire a membership from the Canadian ball shrine.

Inductees Felipe Alou and Carlos Delgado sign autographs for fans on the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's induction weekend in 2015. Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

If you are looking to get autographs from Pedro Martinez, Lloyd Moseby and Bill Humber June 16 in St. Marys, Ont. and don't want to be in a long lineup, it will be easier if you acquire a membership from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Check with the Hall of Fame to see what type of membership is good for you. Director of operations Scott Crawford will help you with memberships and the fees involved.

All members will get early access to the autograph session following the induction ceremony. Elite members get reserved seating during the induction ceremony. Home Run members get reserved fourth-row seating at the induction ceremony and celebrity golf banquet tickets.

Grand Slam members get reserved third-row seating and recognition at the induction ceremony. There is a special arrangement for Home Run and Grand Slam members at the VIP inductee dinner.

When you purchase a membership, it assists the Hall in its fundraising efforts. This year promises to be an exciting one for the Canuck ball shrine. The Hall's museum expansion and renovation projects are under way. The expansion will include an archive and storage area, a library/resource centre, exhibition space, a new entrance/gift shop and an an accessible washroom.

Still with the Hall, if you are a post-secondary student, you may be interested in applying for a job in St. Marys as a grounds-maintenance employee. The job would begin mid-April and run until the end of August. The pay is $14 per hour and the work week is 40 hours. The deadline for applications is Feb. 28.

Talking of Martinez, there is at least one person, who didn't like Martinez's election into the hall: prominent Toronto Sun sports columnist Steve Simmons. In a series of tweets, Simmons said it was "ridiculous'' that Martinez should be elected into the Hall based on only four seasons of service with the Expos.

"It makes the hall look cheap,'' Simmons wrote on his Twitter feed. "Do you honestly believe a player with only four years' service belongs in a hall of fame? Any hall of fame?''

It's Simmons' thinking that a longer haul with a team is necessary for someone to get into St. Marys.

I personally think Martinez's four-year stint with the Expos qualified him for election into St. Marys, especially since Martinez was a huge exclamation mark with the Expos. He was 55-33 with the Expos and is the only Expos' pitcher to win a Cy Young award. That was in 1997 when he went 17-8 with a 1.90 ERA and 305 strikeouts.

The Canadian hall is unique because it not only recognizes Canadian natives but it honours non-Canadians, who made an impact on Canadian soil. The St. Marys-based shrine takes into consideration players or executives who were a major influence, even if it's just during a short period of time.

Remember Rusty Staub's induction? He spent three and a half seasons with the Expos and was the franchise's first hero. He was a unique Expo. He was the organization's first legitimate superstar. Fans across Canada gravitated to him. That's what made him a worthy St. Marys inductee.

Jackie Robinson spent one season with the triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946 and he was such an influence that it was good enough to get him elected into the Canadian ball hall in 1991. He made an impact in Canada one year prior to becoming the first African-American to play in the major leagues in 1947. He presented a smash-hit scenario in the annals of Canadian baseball history. Thus, his election into the Canadian hall.

]]>Canadian ball hall membership comes in handy on induction weekendhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/canadian-ball-hall-membership-comes-in-handy-on-induction-weekendGourlay resigns as Ottawa Champions presidentMinor leaguesCBN StaffFri, 16 Feb 2018 19:12:36 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/opMhOjXNVPo/gourlay-resigns-as-ottawa-champions-president54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a872b0b41920229a7a860adOn Friday, David Gourlay announced that he will be stepping down from his
position as president of the independent Can-Am League's Ottawa Champions.

David Gourlay announced that he was stepping down from his position as president of the independent Can-Am League's Ottawa Champions on Friday.

February 16, 2018

Official Ottawa Champions Press Release

OTTAWA—The Ottawa Champions announced Friday that David Gourlay has resigned as president, and as a shareholder of the franchise, to pursue other opportunities.

Gourlay held the post since the team’s inception in 2014. He says he has made his mark on Ottawa’s baseball landscape and is excited to watch the Champions organization continue its growth in 2018.

“Over the past six years, I have dedicated time and energy to demonstrate to this community that professional baseball has a place in Ottawa,” Gourlay said. “I am very proud of what we have accomplished together and I thank the fans for supporting the Ottawa Champions.”

Gourlay began his effort to bring professional baseball to Ottawa in 2012, when he initiated a grassroots campaign titled Champions for Ottawa Baseball. The end result was a Can-Am League franchise – confirmed in the late summer of 2014 after a two-year effort.

Miles Wolff, Can-Am League commissioner and majority owner of the Champions, stated that Gourlay’s constant campaigning, advocacy, and leadership are why the Champions organization exists.

"David Gourlay is the reason that professional baseball is in Ottawa today,” Wolff said. “For the last six years, his dedication and passion have brought about the revival of RCGT Park and made it the center for baseball in the National Capital Region.”

“We give immense thanks to David. He will always be part of the Champions family."

Gourlay was instrumental in securing the 2017 Can-Am/American Association all-star game, and also led the Champions partnership with the Miracle League of Ottawa

The Ottawa branch of the Miracle League is behind Eastern Ontario’s first fully accessible baseball diamond and sports facility, located on Navan Road in Orleans.

While pursuing other endeavours, Gourlay will remain as a board member of the Ottawa Champions Foundation.

Right-hander Chris Rowley made his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Wesley James

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

In any other year, Chris Rowley would not have found himself pitching against the Pittsburgh Pirates in August.

In 2017, Toronto used 14 different starting pitchers. Injuries plagued the Jays from nearly day one - Aaron Sanchez had blister issues, J.A. Happ had elbow issues, Liriano had finding-the-strike-zone issues. By August, Liriano was traded and Joe Biagini was building up his arm in Buffalo. The Jays' fourth and fifth starters became a near constant rotation of unknown and sometimes untested faces.

In 2016, Toronto sent just seven starting pitchers to the mound. When Rowley started against the Pirates on August 12 he was the 12th of 2017. Despite appearing in his first major league game, he pitched confidently - one run on five hits while striking out three and walking only one in 5 1/3 innings. Toronto quickly penciled him in for more games.

An undrafted college graduate in 2013, Rowley entered the Blue Jays system as an innings filler for Toronto’s Gulf Coast League affiliate Bluefield Blue Jays. No one expected anything from him. The GCL is made up of mostly freshly drafted teenagers or international signings. As a 22-year-old college graduate, even good numbers could be easily ignored. In 32 2/3 innings that season Rowley struck out 39, walked only three, and finished with a 1.10 ERA and a 0.673 WHIP. Not bad. The report back to Toronto? “100 per cent bullpen, zero pro value.”

Two years in the army, and away from professional baseball, followed. Upon his return he was placed with the class-A Advanced Dunedin Blue Jays where he excelled despite his time away, pitching to a 10-3 record with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.278 WHIP in 123 2/3 innings. In 2017, he was promoted to double-A New Hampshire to start the year and then to triple-A Buffalo. Between the two levels he had a 2.24 ERA, a 1.023 WHIP and a respectable 3.65 strike-out-to-walk ratio. And then, on August 12, he became the first graduate of West Point to play in the major leagues.

Against Minnesota in Rowley’s second start of 2017 he pitched well, despite walking five batters. In five innings he struck out three and allowed two runs in a no decision. Good enough to earn one more start. Against Tampa Bay on Aug 22 he pitched poorly, allowing four runs on five hits while walking three in just 3 1/3 innings. He stayed with Toronto through September but only made three more appearances out of the bullpen. He finished the year with a 6.75 ERA, a 1.821 WHIP, 10 walks and 11 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings.

In 2017, Rowley rose through the system quickly. Despite his overall poor numbers, there is reason to believe that he may be better than his small major league sample size Indicates. Rowley has rarely pitched out of the bullpen in his short professional career and has never pitched in September. Another year to improve his stamina and a consistent role with Buffalo could do wonders. Although Rowley’s four-seam fastball tops out at 90 mph, he relies primarily on a slider and a changeup, two pitches that had above average swing and miss in the very short time he was in Toronto. As a result, accuracy and placement are paramount for future success but, if he has more time in the upper levels of the minors to refine his approach, he should continue to improve.

Assuming Rowley starts the year in Buffalo and pitches well, another appearance in The Show might be in the cards. But if the top club’s arms manage to stay healthy this year, an appearance in 2018 is unlikely. But, as Rowley himself has proven, anything is possible.

Contract Status

Rowley is not currently on the 40-man roster and is still playing on his minor league contract. He is a non-roster invitee to major league camp in 2018.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: CEmily: C (small sample size)Wesley James: B (all levels)

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Week 4 of the BMOC features more standout performances from across college baseball. As pitchers and catchers begin to report for Spring Training these players are heating up. Check out the highlights from the past week.

Willow named KCAC Player of the WeekEvan Willow (Victoria, BC) took home Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week honours after a monster series for McPherson College versus Oklahoma Panhandle State University. In Game 1 of their series he went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and four RBIs in the 10-0 win. He left the yard again in Game 2, this time a three-run shot. He ended the game going 3-for-4 with five RBIs. He had a hit, was hit by a pitch and drove in a run in a 9-5 Game 3 win. He worked a walk in the finale as McPherson completed the sweep with a 8-7 win.

One-time Ontario Blue Jays Nathan Arruda (Brampton, Ont.)

Arruda amazes with one-hitterIt was a good week for Canadians in the KCAC. Nathan Arruda (Toronto, Ont.) had it working for Tabor College in their 2-0 win over Colorado Christian. The righty threw a complete game, seven inning one-hitter to halt the Cougars in their tracks. He struck out ten en route to his first win of the season. Arruda was named Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week for his performance.

Sabrowski does it allCloud County Community College’s Erik Sabrowski (Edmonton, Alta.) showcased his talents by delivering on the mound and in the batters box. The T-Birds had a four game series with Fort Scott Community College and Sabrowski went right to work going 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs in a 6-5 loss. He followed it up with a 3-for-3 game with a double, a home run and two RBIs in a Game 2 win. As if producing offensively wasn’t enough, he took to the mound in Game 3. He picked up the win going five scoreless innings, surrendering just two hits and a pair of walks. He struck out nine in the 8-3 victory. Sabrowski was a one man wrecking crew in Game 3, also going 3-for-4 at the dish with a double and a RBI. He closed out the series with a hit in Game 4, an8-6 loss.

Fernandez-Beltran goes the distanceIt was just the start to the series the St. Mary’s University Rattlers were looking for and it came from Canadian Fernando Fernandez-Beltran (Mercier, Que.). The Quebec native spun a complete-game gem in a 3-1 Rattler win over Tarleton State. He tossed all nine innings, scattering six hits, allowing just a single run with three walks and 10 strikeouts. He evened his record at 1-1.

UBC gets underwayThe University of British Columbia began their campaign this past week with a four game set with California State East Bay in Hayward Calif. Niall Windeler (Toronto, Ont.) was handed the ball in the opener and worked 4 2/3 innings of one run baseball. He gave up three hits and three walks while striking out seven. The Thunderbirds dropped the contest 7-1.

Lichel Hirakawa-Kao (Vancouver, BC) didn’t start Game 1 but left a mark in Games 2, 3 and 4. In UBC’s only win of the series in Game 2, a 12-10 decision, Hirakawa-Kao went 2-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. The Thunderbirds dropped Game 3 14-5 but Hirakawa-Kao blasted a two-run home run and worked a walk. After being moved to the leadoff spot in Game 4 he delivered a hit and a walk to close the series.

Mitch Robinson (Surrey, BC) had back-to-back two hit games to open the series. He also drove in a run in Game 1 and followed it up with 2 RBIs in Game 2. He then chipped in a hit in each of Games 3 and 4.

Acosta-Tapia, Ortiz helps lead No. 5 Oklahoma WesleyanChristopher Acosta-Tapia (Deauville Laval, Que.) used three hits (four total on the week), three walks and two RBIs over four games to help the Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles to a four-game sweep of Central Christian College.

Claudio Ortiz (Montreal, Que.) picked up the win in Game 2 by throwing five scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, four walks and struck out three in the 2-1 win.

Swift leads Warriors to sweepIf there is one player who has showed no signs of slowing down it has been Austen Swift (Toronto, Ont.). He had a hit and walk in a 29-4 William Jessup win over Bethesda University of California. Next up was San Diego Christian for a three-game series. After walking twice in a 6-3 Game 1 win he went 3-for-4, was hit by a pitch and blasted three-run home run. He had two more hits, one of which was a triple and two RBIs in the finale. William Jessup improved to 13-3 on the year.

Fonseca’s fantastic so far in ’18Cypress College’s Trevor Fonseca (West Vancouver, BC) continued his torrid start to the 2018 season with four more hits this past week. He also added two walks, two RBIs and a stolen base to his totals. Cypress took won 2-of-3 and Fonseca is hitting at a .565 clip so far this year.

Liu find a way to shineThe Davis and Elkin Senators may have been swept by King University but Johnny Liu (Mississauga, Ont.) was a bright spot. Liu hit .333 going 4-for-11 with a pair of RBIs. He hit .370 with a .453 on-base percentage, a .430 slugging percentage, drove in 15 RBIs and was hit by 10 pitches in 2017. The Senators will look for some better luck as they get ready for two games with Tusculum and two with Notre Dame College this week.

Schindel shinesTyler Schindel (Victoria, BC) had a fine offensive week but it wasn’t enough as San Diego Christian stumbled and went 0-4 on the week. Schindel started his week with a double, a walk and stolen base in a 10-9 loss to Providence College. He had a hit in all three of the Hawks games against fellow Canadian Austen Swift and William Jessup, including a RBI and stolen base in Game 2 and a walk in Game 3 but it wasn’t enough as his team dropped all three games.

Forrmer Ontario Blue Jay Quinton Bent (Mississauga, Ont.)

Bent bashes for Southern WesleyanIt all started with a home run and three RBIs versus Mars Hill for Quinton Bent (Mississauga, Ont.) and it turned into a stellar weekend for the Southern Wesleyan Warriors. In Game 1 of their series with Trinity Baptist Bent had a double and two RBIs in the 7-5 win. He swatted another two doubles and drove in two more in a 7-3 victory in Game 2. The Warriors completed the sweep behind two more doubles from Bent, two walks and a RBI.

Marklund, Scott help Bryan sweepBrandon Marklund (North Vancouver, BC) picked up a save and a win and Tyler Scott (Calgary, Alta.) had five hits as Bryan College swept four games from Indiana University Kokomo. In a 3-0 Game 1 victory Maryland threw a scoreless inning allowing a hit and a walk, striking out one in picking up the save. He was back on the mound in Game 3, this time picking up the win. He threw a scoreless, hitless 1 1/3 innings and struck out three in the 9-8 victory.

Scott launched a home run in Game 1 and had two hits in both Games 2 and 3. He finished the week with a walk, three RBIs and a 1.008 OPS.

On the prowl for the PanthersIt was an ugly weekend for the Florida Tech Panthers as they went 0-3 against Wingate, Valdosta State and Flagler. Saying that, it wasn’t all bad if you are a Canadian baseball fan. Freshman Jake Newton (Oakville, Ont.) went 4-for-10 with a stolen base in the three games. Fellow Canadian teammate and Intercounty Baseball League Toronto Maple Leaf Zac Orchard (Cambridge, Ont.) went 4-for-11 with a walk and hit by pitch.

Saskaatoon Diamondbacks' Nolan Machibroda (Saskatoon, Sask.) was 5-for-5 with a home run and eight RBIs in a doubleheader sweep. .

Machibroda makes the most of two gamesChattanooga State outscored Covenant College 24-0 in two games and it was Nolan Machibroda (Saskatoon, Sask.) who supplied a lot of the offence. In their first game, an 8-0 win, Machibroda went 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and knocked four. He again drove in four runs in their second meeting and went 3-for-3 in a 16-0 thumping.

Wilkes the man for the MatadorsArizona Western had themselves a nice week picking up four wins thanks in part to the bat of Robbie Wilkes (Regina, Sask.). Wilkes had a hit and a stolen base in a Game 1 win over Colorado Northwestern. Game 2 saw him get join via a walk, steal another base and also drive in a run. After a hit in a Game 3 win he went 2-for-3 with another stolen base to help his Matadors complete the sweep. Arizona Western is now 7-4 on the year.

Trogrlic-Iverson pitches Vaqueros to win over El PasoNick Trogrlic-Iverson (Oakville, Ont.) continues to prove his hot start is no fluke. He most recent performance was saw him pick up his second win of the year in a 23-0 Central Arizona win over El Paso Community College. He threw five scoreless innings, scattering three hits and only a single walk. He struck out eight in the blowout. After three games he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA over 14 innings and has recorded 21 strikeouts.

Victoria Mariners' Nick Seginowich (Victoria, BC) had four hit day for the Salt Lake City Bruins. Photo: Christian J. Stewart.

Seginowich an on-base machine for Salt LakeIt doesn’t always matter how you get on as long as you do. Nick Seginowich (Victoria, BC) went 4-for-8 including a triple with five walks, a hit by pitch and a stolen base for the Salt Lake Community College Bruins

Berg with three multi-hit gamesPolk State won 2-of-3 and Danny Berg (Saskatoon, Sask.) had six hits. In their first against St. Johns River State College he went 2-for-3 with a walk. The Eagles dropped the contest, their only of the week 6-5. Berg also found himself on the mound in the game working a scoreless inning with a walk and two strikeouts. They got in the win column, also by a 6-5 score, in their next game against Seminole State College of Florida. Berg had himself another nice day at the dish going 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk and two RBIs. In their final game he went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk helping the Eagles to a 5-3 win over Lake Sumter State College.

Johnson goes eight strongLosing 1-0 in 10 innings is tough to take. Ryan Johnson (Winnipeg, Man.) knows all about it through no fault of his own. He went eight scoreless innings, yielding just two hits and a walk while striking out seven for Lubbock Christian. Unfortunate for Johnson and his team it was Regis who took home the win.

Berner helps Graceland burn oppositionThe only thing to that slowed down Matt Berner (Spruce Grove, Alta.) was a cancellation of Game 4 of their series with Ecclesia. His best game of the series was in a 6-3 Game 2 win where he went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a RBI. He also doubled in Games 1 and 3 as Graceland took 2 of a possible three wins in the series.

Brand doesn’t back downBilly Brand (Burlington, Ont.) used a home run, five RBIs and a 1.636 OPS to contribute to the Midland University offence this past week. He finished the week going 6-for-11.

Morris plays one, makes it countIt seems playing only one game a week isn’t messing up Kobe Morris (Victoria, BC) and his timing at the plate. After having a stellar single game the week he did it again last week going 4-for-4 with a walk in a 6-5, 10 innings win over Labette.

Thorp strikes out 10, takes lossDylan Thorp (North Vancouver, BC) struck out ten Texas College hitters but it wasn’t enough as his Bellevue Bruins dropped a 4-3 decision. Thorp went 5 1/3 innings, gave up 6 hits and four runs (one earned) with a walk.

Falbo flashes skill for Centre CollegeCentre College’s week started with a win but ended up dropping the three game series with LaGrange. Mason Falbo (Mississauga, Ont.) contributed four hits and four RBIs in the series for the Colonels.

Cunningham earns LSU Shreveport’s only winIt wasn’t a great week for the LSU Shreveport Pilots as they picked up just a single victory but that win was on the back of Hunter Cunningham (Mission, BC). The Canadian threw five innings, surrendering three hits and one run in the 11-5 win over Lyon College. He walked one and struck out five.

Southern Idaho takes 3-of-4The Golden Eagles of Southern Idaho were soaring last week and rode the red hot bat of Brett Resch (Saskatoon, Sask.). He started the week with a 2-for-2 showing in a 6-4 win over Cochise College.. It was another two hits against Yavapai in the next game, a 7-6 win. In game 3 of their week the Saskatoon native swatted a hit. The Golden Eagles took down Okanagan 11-10 to close out the week.

Quirion pounds out eight hitsAnthony Quirion (Dixville, Que.) was locked in for Clarendon this past week. In Game 1 of their series with Mountain View he had a 2-for-4 day with a double, a walk, a stolen base and a RBI. Clarendon won the game 6-3. Game 2 was another Clarendon win and Quirion went 2-for-4 again. He saved his best performance for last going 4-for-4 with a double and two RBIs in an 18-0 victory.

Braun steps up for CWUCentral Washington took on the Academy of Art last week and started the series off with a 5-1 win. Dustin Braun (Landmark, Man.) went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and a RBI in that one. He used another two-hit game, including a solo home run and a walk to launch the Wildcats to a 4-0 win. The senior contributed a hit in each of Game 3 and 4 as his team took 3-of-4.

Oulton out duels opponentLefty Taran Oulton (St. Albert, Alta.) pitched the William Woods University Owls to victory over Baker last week. He went six innings, allowing seven hits, two runs (zero earned) with a walk and six strikeouts. Teammate Dany Paradis-Giroux (Lavis, Que.) also picked up a victory over Baker.

Field House Pirates LHP-1B Sean Kretz (Burlington, Ont.) pitched four scoreless for Glendale.

Kretz keeps hitters off balanceSean Kretz (Burlington, Ont.) had a pair of good appearances for Glendale Community College. The first came against the College of the Desert where he went two scoreless innings giving up just one hit. He didn’t allow a free pass and struck out two in the 10-2 win. He was back at it against the Oxnard College Condors going another two scoreless, hitless innings. He struck out one in the 8-3 win.

Cappe caps two-game set with winIt was Brady Cappe (Brantford, Ont.) taking the ball for Lake Land College in the second game of a back-to-back with Roane State and he delivered a win. The Telephone City hurler threw 6 1/3 innings, scattering four hits and allowing one run. He walked four but struck out 12 to pick up his first win of the year.

Bishop bats .400Alex Bishop (Calgary, Alta.) went 4-for-10 for the University of Texas at Tyler in a sweep of La Verne. He also walked once and drove in a run.

Sims helps St. Leo extinguish FlamesThe St. Leo Lions weren’t about to get burnt by the Lee University Flames. Jake Sims (Guelph, Ont.) helps his team to a 2-1 series win with four hits, a hit by pitch and a RBI. His best game actually came in the only loss, a 12-4 Game 3 defeat where he went 2-for-4.

Bourget hits .500ReJean Bourget (Edmonton, Alta.) went 4-for-8 with a walk for Garden City Community College last week. It was a good week for the Broncbusters as they went 4-0 with a win over McCook and three more over Western Nebraska Community College. Bourget is now hitting .462 on the season.

Hofmann nails down two saves

Merced College went 2-1 on the week and handed the ball to Jaden Hofmann (Unity, Sask.) to close out both victories. In their first win against San Mateo, a 9-7 final, Hofmann threw 1 1/3 scoreless, walking two and striking out one. After dropping a 22-8 decision to Mission, Hofmann and his team got their revenge taking down Mission 6-5. Hofmann worked a scoreless 1/3 of an inning, striking out the only out he needed to pick up his second save of the week.

Canadians continue to help their teams with big time performances. Division I competition kicks off this week meaning even more names are surely to appear next week. Catch all the action right here in the BMOC.

If you know someone who is deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC please email Matt Betts at mattbetts41@gmail.com

Former Toronto Mets OF Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) of the Kentucky Wildcats is ranked highly among SEC prospects by Baseball America and Perfect Game Scouting Service.

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball Network

The NCAA season starts in February and ends in Omaha at the College World Series.

A total of nine Canucks are rated among the top prospects in their respective conferences by both Baseball America or Perfect Game.

Named by each respected organization are OF Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) of the Kentucky Wildcats; Matt Lloyd (Okotoks, Alta.) of the Indiana Hoosiers and RHP Jackson Wark (St Albert, Alta.) of the Saint Louis Billikens.

The other six are RHP Kristjan Storrie (Langley, BC) of Lamar Cardinals; INF Dane Tofteland (Grande Prairie, Alta.) of the Indiana State Sycamores; OF Nick Howie (Oakville, Ont). of the Eastern Kentucky Colonels; RHP Michael Brettell (Fonthill, Ont.) of the Central Michigan Chippewas; OF Jake Wilson (New Lowell, Ont.) of the Bowling Green State Falcons and RHP Brady Moxham (Oakville, Man.) with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

]]>Lloyd, Pompey, Wark three of top NCAA conference prospectshttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/lloyd-pompey-wark-three-of-top-ncaa-conference-prospectsStroman loses arbitration case, Jays sign lefty GarciaToronto Blue JaysAndrew HendriksFri, 16 Feb 2018 01:42:04 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/UI7ZrUmMKco/stroman-loses-arbitration-case-jays-sign-lefty-garcia54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a8633e2f9619a7edfe67ad2Right-hander Marcus Stroman lost his arbitration case with the Toronto Blue
Jays on Thursday. The club also announced that it has signed veteran
left-hander Jaime Garcia to a one-year, $8-million contract. Canadian
Baseball Network writer Andrew Hendriks has the details.

Although he has yet to have thrown a competitive pitch in 2018, Marcus Stroman is already 0-1.

On Thursday, the 26-year-old right-hander revealed on Twitter that he had lost his arbitration case and will now earn $6.5M for his services in 2018.

"Lost arbitration," Toronto's righty wrote on the well-used social media platform. "It is what it is. Looking forward to going out and dealing again. The negative things that were said against me, by my own team, will never leave my mind. I'm thick skinned so it will only fuel the fire."

When the two sides exchanged salary figures in January, Stroman checked in at $6.9M while the Blue Jays countered with what would go on to become the winning offer.

In 2017, Stroman established career highs in starts (33) and wins (13) while eclipsing the 200 innings pitched plateau for the second consecutive year. Additionally, his overall WAR of 3.4 last season tied him with Justin Smoak for second place on the Blue Jays roster behind only Josh Donaldson's 5.0 mark.

Using WAR as a metric to contextualize and establish Stroman's American League starting pitching comparables from last season, the Astros' Brad Peacock (3.4) will earn $2.44M while Kansas City's Danny Duffy (3.4) will pocket $14M in 2018, per Cotts. Both players are signed to existing deals and did not enter the arbitration process this year.

This year's proceedings marked the second time Stroman and the Blue Jays needed an arbitrator to determine an adequate a salary figure. In 2017, a gap of $300,000 separated the two sides, and it was Stroman who came out on top after the hearing, earning $3.4M.

"Just being real. Not mad at all." Stroman added. "I’m aware of the business. Just opens your eyes going through the arbitration process. Second time going through it. Still love my team and the entire country of Canada. More upset that I had to fly to AZ and miss my Monday workout."

BLUE JAYS SIGN GARCIA

You can add another candidate to the list of hurlers vying for that fifth spot in the Blue Jays rotation as, on Thursday, the club and free-agent southpaw Jaime Garcia came to terms on a one-year, $8M pact that includes a club option for the 2019 season.

Garcia, 31, checks in with a career ERA of 3.69 supported by a WHIP of 1.302 and an overall K/9 of 7.3 across 185 major league assignments, 174 of which have come as a starter.

Featuring an arsenal that includes three off-speed pitches, a four-seam fastball and a sinker capable of producing enhanced swing and miss rates, the 6-foot-2 product of Reynosa, Mexico has had success keeping the ball on the ground throughout his career. With a career HR/9 of 0.8, it's also worth noting that he's excelled at limiting round-trippers.

Beginning with Atlanta, Garcia pitched for three teams in 2017 and finished the campaign with a FIP of 4.25 through 27 starts.

Now in camp with the Blue Jays, it's likely that Garcia will be in direct competition with Joe Biagini and a growing cast of other rotation hopefuls in the weeks leading up to Opening Day.

The Toronto Blue Jays have signed veteran left-hander Jaime Garcia to a one-year, $8-million contract.

February 15, 2018

Official Toronto Blue Jays Press Release

BLUE JAYS SIGN LHP JAIME GARCIA

The TORONTO BLUE JAYS have signed free agent LHP JAIME GARCIA to a one-year contract (US $8,000,000) with a club option for the 2019 season.

GARCIA, 31, appeared for three clubs last season posting a 5-10 record with a 4.41 ERA in 27 starts between the Atlanta Braves (18), Minnesota Twins (1) and the New York Yankees (8). The 6-foot-2, 215-pound native of Reynosa, Mexico has posted a career record of 67-55 with an ERA of 3.69 in 185 games, 174 starts over nine seasons.

]]>Blue Jays sign left-hander Jaime Garciahttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/blue-jays-sign-left-hander-jaime-garciaNew Canisius coach focusing on veteran presenceCanadians in CollegeCBN StaffThu, 15 Feb 2018 20:37:00 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/pHyUx4oD7GY/new-canisius-coach-focusing-on-veteran-presence54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a873e12e2c4835a336df2e2Coming on the heels of a 35-win campaign last season, the Canisius Griffins
are looking to reload, not rebuild. The team welcomes back some of the key
players from last year's squad, including Canadian left-hander JP Stevenson
(New Glasgow, P.E.I.).

Vauxhall Academy and Canadian Junior National Team alum JP Stevenson (New Glasgow, P.E.I.) led the Canisius Griffins with nine wins last season. He returns to the Griffins for the 2018 season.

By Nolan Hopkins

The Griffin

Coming on the heels of a 35-win campaign last season, the Canisius baseball team is looking to reload, not rebuild.

The team welcomes back some of the key components of last year's squad that helped the Griffs finish the season with the third highest team batting average (.273) in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Only Fairfield (.289) and Marist (.278) had a higher team batting average than the Blue and Gold.

Redshirt senior catcher Christ Conley and senior infielder Ryan Stekl are two of the big bats on the team that are looking to make an impact in the middle of the order.

This past summer Conley received the 2017 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League Player of the Year Award. In 41 games in the collegiate summer league, Conley hit .382 to go along with a .582 on-base percentage for the Jamestown Jammers. These were some of the highest marks in league history.

“It was definitely a great accomplishment, it was nice having guys from our team down there with me. So being familiar with some of the guys on the team helped out,” said Conley. “John Conti (senior outfielder) and I were working together a lot this summer, hitting wise. I was helping him with some things, he was helping me with some things, I think a lot of the hard work off the field in the cages and stuff payed off.”

Conley slugged three home runs last season for the Griffs, and also drove in 41 runs, which was tied for the most on the team with Stekl.

“I’ve just been getting my foot down. It is the one thing I had trouble with my sophomore season. I tried to switch some things up and turn into a power guy but it didn’t really work out so that kind of screwed my swing up,” Conley said.

Conley may have found his stroke this summer, which would be a welcomed sign for a ball club that hopes to be even more dangerous at the plate this year.

Three of the Griffs offensive standouts will be returning this year. This includes Conley, Stekl and senior utility player Liam Wilson.

Wilson was named to the Preseason All-MAAC team, the lone Canisius player chosen. Last season, Wilson hit .343 with three home runs and 38 RBI. He also hit a team-high 18 doubles and was second on the team in hits (74).

The team’s pitching staff is also retaining some of their best arms for this season. Senior JP Stevenson (Glasgow, P.E.I.) led the team in wins (9), games started (15) and strikeouts (69), while posting the second-lowest ERA on the team (3.65). In addition, Stevenson was named to the Canadian Baseball Network All-Canadian College Team after his junior year performance. Junior Andrew Sipowicz burst onto the scene in his sophomore season as a dependable top-of-the-rotation guy. He was second on the team in wins (6), second in games started (12), second in strikeouts (65) and had the lowest ERA (3.48).

Canisius’ senior closer Tyler Smith was named to the All-New England Collegiate Baseball League First Team this past summer. Smith recorded 10 saves and one win in the NECBL to go with 47 strikeouts. In his junior season for the Blue and Gold, Smith was stellar out of the bullpen, finishing with 11 saves and 43 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings of work.

With an abundance of upperclassmen at the plate as well as on the bump, the veteran leadership resonates throughout the team.

“The veteran leadership is so valuable, you cannot even put a price tag on it, because it helps you on the field and allows you as a coach to not have to say too much all the time,” head coach Matt Mazurek said. “You can point them in the direction and they can lead from within. The veteran leadership is going to go a long way and dictate how far this team goes.”

Coach Mazurek is in his first year at the helm of the team. He served as an assistant coach for 12 years under former head coach Mike McRae. He was also a player on the Griffs baseball team, winning the college’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2006.

“Taking over has been an honour, there is a strong tradition that has been built here on winning and working hard, and I want to continue that and then put my own spin on it,” he said.“I’ve been using the example of, it is not a rebuild its a remodel.”

The Griffs were picked to finish in second place in the conference in the MAAC preseason poll.

“There’s the preseason polls saying we’re first or second, that doesn’t mean anything, especially to me, I don’t want to hear any of that stuff,” said Stekl.“I want to go out there, I want us to play hard, and I want us to play like every single game is our last.”

The team will open up the season in Port Charlotte, Fla. today as the Griffs take on Ohio State and Milwaukee in the SnowBird Classic. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. against the Buckeyes at the Mets’ Spring Training facility.

OTTAWA - With pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training across sites in Arizona and Florida, baseball is right around the corner, and we’re thrilled to release the calendar of events for 2018!

The month of January included the 16th annual National Teams Awards Banquet and Fundraiser in Toronto and just two weeks later, over 300 coaches attended the annual National Coaches Clinic hosted by the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Academy at Rogers Centre.

Baseball will be played in February, as 25 female athletes will head to Cuba for the ninth annual Girls Baseball Development Camp.

In March, the Junior National Team’s schedule begins with Spring Training in St. Petersburg, Fla., that includes a March 17 game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin that will be televised nationally on Sportsnet ONE. Subsequent Junior National Team camp are set to take place in Palm Beach, Fla., in April and the Dominican Republic in May as the squad prepares for the COPABE U-18 Pan American Championships next fall in Panama.

Our Women’s National Team program will begin the process of selecting a roster to compete at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup at the Women’s Invitational, from July 5-8 at Ahuntsic Park in Montréal. Following the event, invited players will participate in a selection camp that will determine the 20-player roster that will represent Canada at the Women’s Baseball World Cup from August 22-31 in Viera, Fla.

The Women’s Nationals starts off Baseball Canada’s National Championships season that kicks into high gear in August where nine of 11 events will be played. After being played at the Canada Games in 2017, the Baseball Canada Cup returns to its format in 2018 in Moncton, N.B., with all ten provinces sending 17U All-Star teams.

September will see the final National Champion crowned at the DQ 13U National Atlantic in Summerside, PE while the sixth edition of Tournament 12, hosted by Robbie Alomar and the Toronto Blue Jays, will be staged at Rogers Centre.

The fall months will be busy for our Junior National Team program with the annual Fall Instructional League Camp in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in October at the 18U Pan Am Championships at a to be determined date in Panama.

A Pan Am Games qualification tournament for the Senior National Team will also be played at a to be determined date and site.

]]>Baseball Canada releases 2018 calendar of eventshttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/baseball-canada-releases-2018-calendar-of-eventsCuba Girls Development Camp set for ninth yearBaseball CanadaAdam MorissetteThu, 15 Feb 2018 12:31:56 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/sBgWPXWm31I/cuba-girls-development-camp-set-for-ninth-year54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a857bb671c10b7697f791f6For the ninth consecutive year, Women’s National Team manager André
Lachance is bringing a talented group of young players to Cuba for a week
of baseball and a cultural experience that is equally important as the on
field component.

Photo Credit: Baseball Canada

By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA - Warm weather while playing your favourite sport in a country where the game is practically a religion, and in the month of February! That will be the reality for 25 lucky female baseball players next week when the annual Girls Baseball Development Camp gets underway in Havana, Cuba.

For the ninth consecutive year, Women’s National Team manager André Lachance is bringing a talented group of young players to the baseball hotbed for a week of baseball and a cultural experience that is equally important as the on field component.

“I said it every year, but a key to this trip being so successful is the overall experience that the participants receive,” he said. “On the baseball field, athletes are dealing with different weather and playing outdoors for the first time in months. Off the field, it’s an opportunity to travel to a new country and experience a different culture which is a first for many.”

Noémie Lapointe (Laval, Que.) is returning to Cuba after attending last year’s camp and recalls realizing how much the sport of baseball means to the Cuban people and their culture.

“I quickly understood that the passion and the need to play baseball isn’t just located in one place or one heart,” she said. “In fact, I love how everyone there seems so devoted to that sport. It brings out an energy that I love to be around.”

Lapointe used last year’s camp in Cuba and a strong performance at the Women’s Invitational in Windsor later in the year to earn an invite to the Canada-USA Development Program in Washington, DC where she got her first taste of the Women’s National Team program.

She’s excited for the 2018 season, a World Cup year for the National Team, and wants to use the upcoming experience in Cuba to help reach her goals.

“My number one goal (for 2018) is to make Team Canada and participate in the World Cup,” explained Lapointe. “I’m using the trip to Cuba to see where my progress is at right now and to see what I still need to work on in order to meet my goals.”

A teammate with Lapointe during the Canada-USA Development Program last summer, Vancouver’s Emma March will be heading to Cuba for the first time and is excited about the prospect of playing baseball in a foreign country.

“Hopefully this trip to Cuba will not only give me a great opportunity to compete against strong Cuban players but also give me more practice for the upcoming season,” said March. “I believe that competing against other girls around the world will make me stronger and more prepared to face other girls in Canada.”

Like Lapointe, March got her feet wet with the National Team program in 2017 and has her sights set on taking the next step with the program this year.

“My goal for the 2018 season is to make it onto the Women’s National Team. I’d love to have the opportunity to play with them (at the World Cup) in Florida and I believe that hard work, practice and this Cuba camp will help me achieve my goal.”

While the baseball aspect is really important for March, her hope is to soak in as much about the Cuban baseball culture as she can while also form new relationships with her Cuban counterparts.

“Seeing as it is my first time traveling to Cuba to participate in this camp I hope to get a new perspective of what baseball means to other girls around the world and the difference in the lives of girls who enjoy playing baseball in Cuba and in Canada,” added March. “I hope to meet some Cuban players to understand what it’s like playing in Cuba and the struggles they may face being a girl.

"I hope to come out of the trip with new insight into the meaning of girls baseball, I’d love to make new friends and come home more grateful for the life I have in Canada, how lucky I am for having many opportunities to play the sport I love and never take them for granted.”

It will be a busy schedule for the 25 athletes, coaches and support staff attending the camp with daily games, practices and off field activities planned.

Blue Jays broadcaster Jerry Howarth in a rare shot of him using the cell phone. Photo: Stenhouse Studios.

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball Network

The drama was building that October night in Georgia.

The Toronto Blue Jays had scored twice in the top of the 11th to break the 2-2 tie in Game 6 of the 1992 World Series.

I was seated in the Fulton-County Stadium press box alongside my pal Bill Lankhof. Little did we know three booths down the hall in the visiting radio booth Jerry Howarth was telling his audience:

“And a ground ball hit over third ... a base hit down the line ... White scores ... it’s picked up and bobbled by Gant ... he dropped the ball in the corner ... Alomar scores on a Dave Winfield two-base hit.”

After Candy Maldonado popped up, now, it was three outs to go for the Jays to bring the first Series title north of the border.

Jays broadcasts were scheduled so that Cheek worked five innings — the first and second, fifth and sixth, plus the ninth — while Howarth called four — the third and fourth, seventh and eighth. If extras arose they would alternate, with Cheek working the 10th.

Jimmy Key was on the mound for his second inning of work, yet the real drama was taking place in the visiting radio booth. Now, the 11th inning was Howarth’s, just as it was back in 1980 or 1990. But in 1992 with three outs remaining, Howarth pulled a fast one ... straight from the heart. As commercials in Toronto ended the light went on inside the booth in Atlanta, Howarth said:

“Now, here’s my partner Tom Cheek to take you the rest of the way.”

Cheek had been there on that snowy day in 1977 when Doug Ault had become the Blue Jays first hero, he had been there through the three-100 loss seasons, the near miss seasons when the Toronto franchise earned the nickname “The Blow Jays.” Why should not Cheek broadcast tell the listeners of the final three outs.

It wasn’t without drama as Key allowed a lead-off single to Jeff Blauser, Damon Berryhill reached on an error by Alfredo Griffin and the runners were bunted over. Brian Hunter grounded out to make it a one-run game with pinch runner John Smoltz moving to third. Manager Cito Gaston headed to the mound with Otis Nixon coming up. Key said, “I haven’t had much luck with this guy.” Gaston went to Mike Timlin, who fielded Nixon’s bunt attempt, and threw to Joe Carter for the final out. It was Timlin’s first save of the season and the first October we saw Carter jump for joy.

But looking back all these years later at the time of THE moment, the biggest moment in Blue Jays history at the time Howarth said to his long-time partner “you call it.” I imagine it is a moment that a play-by-play broadcaster lives for: calling the final out.

A broadcast booth can contain two of three egos -- sometimes the door has to be left open -- has never been known for going by seniority.

Howarth left Cheek alone at the mike with engineer Bruce Brenner and his call:

“Throw to Carter and the Blue Jays win it ... The Blue Jays win it ... The Blue Jays are World Series champions ... They come pouring out of the dugout and they are mobbing Carter ... And they go down in one big collective heap by the first base bag here a big pile up ... Somebody on the bottom might be hurt in all of that.

“The Blue Jays have won the World Series ... So Canada let it all out ... It’s party time ... It was a long time coming but it’s here ... A ground ball, a bunted ball picked up by Timlin, he throws it to Joe Carter for the final out of this ball game and the Blue Jays are the champions of baseball in their 16th season with all of those disappointments back through the years ... The monkey on their back from ‘85, ‘87 and ‘91 ... They do it here in Atlanta in a hard-fought victory.”

Thee Jays had their first title, made possible by the Winfield bouncer down the line.

And Cheek called it, thanks to Howarth.

Howarth and his pal Jonathan Hodgson (Calgary, Alta.) of the Canadian Baseball Network interviewing Jays OF Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) at the Rogers Centre.

* * *Eric Nadel called the other day.

“What’s up with Jerry, is he OK?” asked Nadel, the veteran Texas Rangers broadcaster, inquired about his friend Jerry Howarth.

Howarth, the Blue Jays broadcaster, stepped down from 36 years of broadcasting this week.

How good was Jerry amongst major-league broadcasters?

“Well, he might have been the best ‘describer’ I have ever listened to,” said Nadel, a Ford C. Frick Award winner for broadcasting excellence in 2014. Nadel was a regular listener to Joe Siddall, Mike Wilner and Howarth on Saturday afternoons when the Jays were at home while the Rangers played at night. And also listening on XM radio.

“Jerry was grossly underrated, I have taken more phrases from his broadcasts than anyone else other than Vin Scully,” Nadel said.

Scully was presented with the Frick Award in 1982 as was Jays broadcaster Tom Cheek in 2013.

“Jerry is a Frick award winner who may not win because Tom won so recently, Jerry has had that length of service. He was that good.”

What kind of detail would Howarth provide that other broadcasters did not?

Eric Nadel at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown

Nadel recalled a routine pop up: “Say it was Jose Bautista for example, ‘Robinson Cano goes back makes the play, Bautista curls behind the mound, headed for the Jays third base dugout, carrying his bat in his right hand.’ You don’t often get that kind of detail. A lot of guys would be giving you instant analytic and analysis.”

Howarth was always paying it forward, according to Nadel, saying “Jerry has been more helpful to young announcers than anyone I know.”

“He makes tremendous suggestions and is always encouraging,” Nadel said. “When a guy sends me a tape, I always send it to Jerry too. Jerry always has more constructive ideas than I do. And he joyfully does it for these guys. He is a super pleasant guy.”

I met Howarth in 1985, travelled on team charters with him (1987-89), teased him, was teased by him, saw him interact with fans, with players and never once did I ever see him angry or have a bad day. He would correct me (“It was obstruction, you wrote interference,”) and I would correct him once in a while (“You said he pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings, a shutout is a complete game.”). Heck I even went to see him coach one of his high school games and noticed a lack of behind-the-back passes. The only time we ever strongly disagreed when I suggested maybe he should go easier on knocking a scorekeeper making $150 a game.

We all have faults. You hear coaches talk about a player’s need for composure ... Howarth had it from the time he walked into Exhibition Stadium or the Rogers Centre until the time he said “Hellllo friends,” and until we saw him catch the elevator home.

“Jerry has that friendly manner and also a personal warm as a broadcaster,” said Nadel, who grew up in Brooklyn listening to Mel Allen, Red Barber, Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy. He once asked his father if the New York Yankee broadcaster actually paid Allen.

“For a kid it seemed like a good question, he was getting to watch the games for free, eating Nathan's hot dogs, drinking Ballantine beer, plus smoking Winston’s (cigarettes) and White Owls (cigars).”

In the day broadcasters would not only read an ad for the client but display it as well.

Howarth and New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling were the last men working 162-game seasons, according to Nadel.

“Vin Scully told Marty Brennaman to cut back years ago IF he wanted to do this longer,” Nadel said. “And Marty has preached it to other announcers.”

* * *

I had heard about Howarth's retirement and was sitting at the eye doctor, when my phone beeped.

I opened the text message. It was from a local coach in his 30s, a Blue Jays fan and a Howarth fan. It read:

"I have been crying all morning."

Howarth with his partner Joe Siddalll (Windsor, Ont.) who he lured away from working for the Detroit Tigers as a batting practice pitcher to the Jays booth.

* * *Yankees broadcaster John Sterling is used to sitting in the next booth to Howarth and the Blue Jays broadcasting crew.

“I know Jerry very well and I like him very much,” Sterling said. “Jerry would always come into our booth and smooze with Suzyn Waldman and I. I can understand why Toronto fans are feeling a void right now.

“As a broadcaster he was dead on. He told the truth. I’m very sorry that he won’t be working the 2018 season.”

Sterling stands out for the reason he did not miss a game last year and because he “Hasn’t missed a game since I began with the 1981 Atlanta Hawks,” Sterling said. His time in Atlanta spanned five seasons as he broadcast the NBA team as well as the Atlanta Braves ... “roughly 220 games a year.”

Eventually Sterling hit the wall in Atlanta, doing play-by play for the Hawks. for the Braves., plus hosting a talk show. Sterling had to have surgery to remove a vocal nodule. In 1989 he joined the Yankees booth.

Sterling explained how he was currently reading Ned Colletti’s excellent his book -- “The Big Chair: The Smooth Hops and Bad Bounces from the Inside World of the Acclaimed Los Angeles Dodgers” -- by the former Dodgers general manager.

“Ned wrote about growing up in Chicago, listening on the radio and how baseball was meant for radio,” said Sterling, whose grew up his ear turned to Pittsburgh Pirates’ Bob Prince on KDKA. “I would much prefer to do radio than TV.”

In Colletti’s must-read book, he explains listening to Vince Lloyd, Lou Boudreau and a young broadcaster named Jack Quinlan who died in a car crash at a young age. Then Colletti worked with Harry Caray with the Chicago Cubs and Vin Scully with the Dodgers.

“Jerry connected with his audience,” Sterling said. “You are there all 162 games for pregame, postgame, for four hours ... you are part of the family. You talk to the individual, rather than talking over his head.

“I hope that whatever it is affecting his voice can be fixed, I wish nothing but the best for Jerry Howarth.”

* * *An excellent choice to replace Jerry Howarth would be Elliott Price (no relation). Price is an experienced voice already at The Fan working the morning show. He has 15 years experience in the Expos booth (four as the lead announcer, nine taking over on radio when Dave Van Horne did TV and two as pregame and postgame host).

Jerry Howarth ... "that's a picture with all my friends and I," we're sure he would say if saw it.

* * *

Tom Hamilton grew up in Waterloo, Wisc. He worked triple-A games for the Columbus Clippers for three years. And in 1990 was hired to work with Herb Score as a Cleveland Indians broadcaster.

“That first year was such a blur, I tried to pick every one’s mind,” Hamilton said. “And Jerry Howarth and Tom Cheek were two of the kindest broadcasters I met. In 1990 Toronto’s building was packed. It was a team with a special allure. I could only imagine calling big moments like that.”

The Jays finished two games behind two games behind the Boston Red Sox drawing 3.8 million or an average of 41,688 fans.

Hamilton asked questions about how do you stay under control in exciting situations, the best way to do research, what do you say when a pitcher has a no-hit bid and how do you maintain enthusiasm if your team has a losing record.

“I can remember Jerry saying ‘Just do what you’ve been doing,’” Hamilton said. “Jerry was so open with advice. Your first year you worry about keeping your job, he was always very easy going, telling me ‘You’ll be fine don’t worry.’

“It’s a shame he won’t be working this season. I think we all want to go out on our own terms. The good Lord blessed him for a long time.”

Cleveland Indians broadcaster Tom Hamilton

Hamilton planned on stopping in Houston en route to the Indians’ spring home in Arizona as he readies himself for another year covering The Tribe. No, he was not going to see where the Houston Astros World Series parade was. He had much more important goal than that. The Kent State Golden Flashes are playing the Sam Houston State Bearkats, where Ryan Tepera went to school. The broadcaster’s son, Brad Hamilton, is a senior catcher with Kent State. Last year Hamilton hit .239 with three doubles, four homers, 12 RBIs and a .783 OPS in 27 games.

“Think how fortunate Toronto fans have been to have had two giants, Tom and Jerry, that doesn’t happen very often,” Hamilton said. “They were two of the game’s broadcasting giants. And before that fans could watch Tony Kubek on TV.”

Hamilton, now one of the game’s best, tried to listen to as many as Jays games as possible to hear Cheek and Howarth and listens to coast games on the drive home. The man who starts each home game with his ‘And we’re underway at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario!’ opening, appreciates Cheek as well. Especially Cheek’s call on Joe Carter’s walk-off drive to win the 1993 World Series: “Touch ‘em all, Joe, you’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!”

“To this day I will go to my grave believing that there will never be a better call in a baseball call than ‘Touch ‘em all Joe.’ I could never be that good.”

Hamilton said it won’t be the same coming to Toronto this season.

“The only negative about Jerry,” said Hamilton pausing to put his tongue firmly in cheek, “was that he tells some of the worst jokes I have ever heard.”

The funny thing is ... lefty Mike Flanagan told Howarth the exact same thing on a Dallas-New York Blue Jays charter in 1988.

]]>Elliott: Farewell to Jerry Howarthhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/elliott-farewell-to-jerry-howarthCanada's professional umpires give back to community baseballSandlotsScott LangdonWed, 14 Feb 2018 20:54:45 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/KR4sGA2rF0o/canadas-professional-umpires-give-back-to-community-baseball54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a849c0d8165f5ac7e8a1104The temperature outside hovered stubbornly below freezing. Snow filtered
down throughout the day. But inside Oakville’s Appleby College the sounds
of spring were unmistakable during a recent February weekend. “Ball,”
“Strike,” “You’re out” rang out as 72 amateur umpires from parts of Canada
and the Caribbean were put through their paces at the first Canadian
Baseball Umpire Camp. Canadian Baseball Network writer Scott Langdon has
the details.

Colin Uba, 14, (centre) was joined by his friends at the recent Canadian Baseball Umpire Camp. Photo Credit: Scott Langdon

By Scott Langdon

Canadian Baseball Network

The temperature outside hovered stubbornly below freezing. Snow filtered down throughout the day. But inside Oakville’s Appleby College the sounds of spring were unmistakable during a recent February weekend.

“Ball,” “Strike,” “You’re out” rang out as 71 amateur umpires from parts of Canada and the Caribbean were put through their paces at the first Canadian Baseball Umpire Camp.

The two-day session was the brainchild of Steven Jaschinski, one of seven Canadians umpiring at various levels of professional baseball. Five of the seven – Chris Graham and Scott Costello, triple-A, Chris Marco, double-A, Ben Rosen, single-A short-season, and Jaschinski, single A – provided wide-ranging classroom and on-field instruction. Stu Scheurwater, who will umpire full-time in the big leagues this season, and Matt Whipple, Rookie level, are the other two Canadian professional umpires. An eighth Canadian, Kevin Mandzuk of Yorkton, Sask., was hired by minor league baseball a few days after the clinic.

“The number of people wanting to be officials in all sports, including baseball, seems to be declining. This clinic is a way for us to give back because we all started umpiring as kids. We would like to grow the umpiring community in Canada,” Jaschinski said.

Steven Jaschinski (centre), one of seven Canadian professional umpires, instructs some of the 71 amateur umpires who attended the recent Canadian Baseball Umpire Camp. Photo Credit: Scott Langdon

Participants were primarily from Ontario, but also included two umpires from Quebec and three from the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) in the Leeward Antilles of the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela.

“We only decided to go ahead with this in mid-December. Having so many participants has exceeded our expectations. We were guessing maybe 35, 50 people maximum,” Marco explained.

“Cooperation with Baseball Ontario really helped build attendance. The Umpires Committee approved our affiliation and allowed us to certify level one and two umpires during our session. We also provided advanced instruction to umpires with level three certification and higher. The clinic provides a great opportunity for feedback for those at a higher level,” he added.

Instruction during the two days included two-umpire system common mistakes and live situations, crew consultations and handling weather and cage work.

“This amount of interest is fantastic to see,” said Graham, the most experienced of the five instructors with eight years at various professional levels. “Something like this didn’t exist when I was coming up. And now, with more opportunities in the big leagues as umpires retire, Canadian kids who are interested can see that a professional umpiring career is possible.”

Danielle Clapiz, 14, was one of two teenage girls who participated. She has one year of umpiring experience for East Mountain Baseball in Hamilton and thinks learning from professional umpires was “cool.”

“I would just like to learn more about the signals and how to do them,” she explained.

Colin Uba, 14, is looking forward to his first year of umpiring in his hometown of Milton, Ont.

“This is really fun. I want to be an umpire and learning from professionals with so much experience is cool. Learning more about on-field positioning will help me this season,” he said.

Not all the umpires in attendance were young, but all were young-at-heart.

“I umpire because it keeps me in contact with a sport I have always loved since I was a kid,” said Dirck Sillery, 53, a level three umpire who works in Milton and Burlington, Ont. “Learning some of the technical aspects of umpiring is helpful, good feedback".

Peter Willmott, 60, is another level three umpire. The games he umpires in the Toronto area are “highly competitive” and taken seriously by the teenage players.

“There is a lot at stake these days for the kids. Some of them have professional or college opportunities and they take it seriously. I feel I owe them a well-umpired game. We don’t always get a lot of feedback so this session will help me understand where I am and how to improve,” he said.

“As one of the older ones, I find that umpiring is good for the mind. You make maybe three or four hundred decisions quickly during a game. It helps keep me sharp,” he added.

The average cost of the two-day session was $150. Sponsorship support from Ump Life, a Toronto umpiring equipment and clothing retailer, helped make the clinic possible, Jaschinski explained.

“The support has been amazing. I started umpiring when I was nine years old. I had to travel to the United States to learn from professional umpires when I was a kid. Now, with seven of us umpiring professionally, we can do this ourselves and give back to the Canadian baseball community,” he said.

“We only started organizing this in December. We built a website and used social media including Twitter and Facebook to spread the word. We’re thrilled with the attendance. Now, we’re starting to think about how we might expand this to other parts of the country in the future,” he said.

The 71 amateur umpires who attended will now have to be patient, waiting out the cold weather and snow until another baseball season can begin. But the wait won’t be quite as long for Canada’s eight professional umpires. They will report to various spring training locations in Florida and Arizona in early March.

]]>Canada's professional umpires give back to community baseballhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/canadas-professional-umpires-give-back-to-community-baseballRaymond named BC Baseball's new administrative directorSandlotsCBN StaffWed, 14 Feb 2018 11:59:20 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/LRQb9BhrUVM/raymond-named-bc-baseballs-new-administrative-director54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a8422d44192025a996f3b10BC Baseball, the largest youth baseball association in British Columbia,
has announced that James Raymond will be its new administrative director.

February 13, 2018

By Les Szabo

BC Baseball Announce the Hiring of an Administrative Director

BC Baseball, the largest youth baseball association in British Columbia, is pleased to announce the hiring of an administrative director.

James Raymond has been associated with BC Baseball through three generations – seeing his father’s involvement and now passing his own vision to his son, James, who has been with BC Baseball his entire life.

From his enrollment in the various program offerings as a youth, James had progressed forward and became the president of the South Okanagan Minor Baseball Association where he was the lead ambassador for youth baseball in the surrounding community. He had many notable accomplishments as he progressed within the South Okanagan Minor Baseball Association as a coach, equipment director, Board of Directors member, and then on to president of the Association. His extensive personal work experience, coupled with his hands on understanding working within a constantly evolving community association make him a seamless fit for the administrative director position.

Given BC Baseball’s membership in excess of over 25,000 players, coaches and association volunteers, the administrative director will be facing an all-encompassing, fast paced and vital role and will prove to be instrumental in delivering effective and efficient operations to the 51 associations within BC Baseball.

We are excited to announce James as the administrative director as BC Baseball continues to deliver the largest, most comprehensive and most inclusive baseball program to the province of British Columbia.

I had a great discussion with a friend yesterday about team broadcasters and how the good ones become part of the identity of their team, and times when certain voices have stepped away and it felt like part of the team's personality left or changed.

I shared my philosophy that yes you are going to cover your own team thoroughly and you have to know your audience, but you still have a duty to represent both teams and sets of fans professionally and of course never use terms like "us", "we", "good guys" or "bad guys."

Everything I said in that talk, my basis for how to conduct yourself as a broadcaster, was learned through observing the actions and listening to the words of Jerry Howarth.

But Jerry, honestly, never once did you cross my mind when talking about voices stepping away. That just wasn't something that I had ever given a thought to. You just walked through your recent challenges with the same calm, thankful attitude and without a word of complaint. I wasn't - I'm not - ready for this, Jerry.

But I understand and support you, just as you have me every step of the way, and I am happy for you.

You are such an integral part of the Blue Jays family, deeper than talking your millions of friends through the games. Every single person I've ever come in contact with in the Blue Jays reveres you. Tell anybody "I'm a friend of Jerry," and the door opens. Buck Martinez, Joe Siddall, Pat Tabler, Jamie Campbell, Alan Ashby, "Shaker" Moseby, Jesse Barfield, Duane Ward and most of all our friend "Whispering" Bob Elliott; just some of the people who have offered me their time and friendship because of our mutual love and respect for the man behind the mic.

I don't say it or show it enough, but I am eternally grateful to all of you, especially you and Bob, and love you like family.

Just the other day, you asked for my name to join yours on Bob's annual list of the most influential Canadians in baseball. Who does that? You do that. I don't know what I did to deserve that, other than to treat everybody with the same respect and care that you do, and try to live out your approach on life: Live it one day at a time, thank God for every opportunity, and enjoy it all.

Yesterday, a young broadcaster saw my name beside yours and asked how I met you. We swapped stories of how you've mentored and been a friend to both of us, and I know this is the case for so many young broadcasters you have taken under your wing.

You would never think, never mind talk this way, so let me say it for you. You deserve to join your friend and partner, the late, great Tom Cheek on the Level of Excellence at the Rogers Centre. If that day comes, I will do everything in my power to be in the ballpark.

I'll miss our batting practice chats and booth visits, but I'll make it back to your town for a visit as friends outside of the game and maybe sneak a peak at your famous man cave.

To this point, I feel I've fallen short in my baseball career, though nobody could compare to you so I don't know why I still think that way. But I'm okay with that, because what I've learned from you is far more important. Live life one day at a time, thank God for every opportunity, and enjoy it all.

I've never met Vin Scully, but I know you as a friend, and I'm sure Vin has a lot of Jerry in him. "Call it two!" You and Vin are cut from the same cloth, and are on the same level in broadcasting and in character, evident by the universal respect for both of you across the game.

Yes sir, what a career! While Blue Jays fans now have to say 'there she goes' to having that friendly voice guiding them through each game, it's time for you to take flight and enjoy your retirement!

Congratulations, my friend.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Hodgson

]]>Hodgson: My Letter to Jerryhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/hodgson-my-letter-to-jerryCollege wrap IV: Bent, Hofmann, Johnson, Sabrowski, Willow Canadians in CollegeKevin WallWed, 14 Feb 2018 07:33:38 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/vo5RRNalpUk/ddct5hn3r8g5tn9sjg25q4of9t8xrr54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a83ae1c085229717843ce90
C Evan Willow (Victoria, BC) of the McPherson Bulldogs and RHP Nathan
Arruda (Toronto, Ont.) of the Tabor BlueJays earned KCAC Player and Pitcher
of the Week. Willow was 6-for-8 with two home runs and nine RBIs as the
Bulldogs swept a doubleheader at Oklahoma Panhandle State University by
10-0 and 10-6 scores. Arruda pitched seven scoreless in a 2-0 win over
Colorado Christian striking out nine.

C Evan Willow (Victoria, BC) of the McPherson Bulldogs and RHP Nathan Arruda (Toronto, Ont.) of the Tabor BlueJays earned KCAC Player and Pitcher of the Week. Willow, former Victoria Eagle, was 6-for-8 with two home runs and nine RBIs as the Bulldogs swept a doubleheader at Oklahoma Panhandle State. Arruda, s former Ontario Blue Jay, pitched seven scoreless in a 2-0 win over Colorado Christian striking out nine.

And There He Goes:Sportsnet’s Jerry Howarth Announces Retirement After 36 Seasons as Blue Jays Radio Broadcaster

Join the conversation: #ThankYouJerry

TORONTO (February 13, 2018) Sportsnet’s Jerry Howarth has announced his retirement, closing out a remarkable 36-year career as the radio broadcaster of the Toronto Blue Jays. With health issues affecting his voice in recent years, Howarth’s personal decision to retire takes effect immediately.

“I had every intention of continuing my career into the 2018 season but my health and stamina and continuing voice issues dictated otherwise,” said Howarth. “Who knew that I would spend more than half my life in Toronto with my wife, Mary, and our two sons, Ben and Joe, doing what I love to do most, reaching out to friends and fans alike across our great country to talk baseball? I am blessed and I am grateful. I thank everyone who has made this journey of mine so rewarding in every way.”

Born in York, Penn., and raised in San Francisco, Howarth launched his career with the Tacoma Twins of the Pacific Coast League in 1974. He joined the Blue Jays in 1981 and has called Toronto home ever since, becoming a Canadian citizen in the process.

“Jerry is an absolute legend in this industry,” said Scott Moore, president, Sportsnet & NHL Properties. “He’s been a dedicated and consummate professional covering the Blue Jays for more than three decades. His longevity is exceptional and it speaks to, not only his talent as a broadcaster, but also his incredible passion for baseball. He is beloved by Blue Jays fans across the country and has left an indelible impression on us all.”

Over his four-plus decades in the industry, Howarth has broadcast upwards of 7,500 ballgames, calling every major milestone for the Blue Jays including six division titles and two World Series Championships.

“He’s been there for every home run, strike out, and flip of the bat that has mattered most to Blue Jays fans,” said Dave Cadeau, National Format Director, Sports, Rogers Radio. “He’s as knowledgeable a baseball mind as you can find, and an even better storyteller. It’s been a privilege to work with Jerry over the years.”

In 2012, Howarth was honoured by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame with the Jack Graney Award for lifetime contributions to baseball in Canada. He was also awarded the Sports Media Canada award for Achievement in Broadcasting both in 2003, with then broadcast partner Tom Cheek, and again individually in 2016.

Kevin Pillar will once again begin the season as the Toronto Blue Jays everyday centre fielder. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Wesley James

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Last year Kevin Pillar hit .256/.300/.404 with an 83 OPS+. Not the numbers stars are generally made of.

Early in the season many believed Pillar had turned the corner. Through April he hit .301/.339/.505 and despite a less productive May (.252/.328/.398) Pillar seemed to be a lock as the Jays lead-off hitter.

Then the incident happened. And by incident I mean the time Pillar yelled a homophobic slur at Atlanta Braves pitcher Jason Motte, triggering a wave of condemnation and press reaction from sports and non-sports media far and wide, as well as a two-game suspension.

Pillar’s homophobic outburst happened on May 17 and at the time he was hitting .305/.357/.498 and enjoying the best start of his career. In the 10 games following the suspension his batting average was only .154. By the end of May he was batting .277/.333/.451 and by June 30 his OPS had dropped significantly, down to .698 from a high of .874 on May 16.

It’s hard to know for sure if the firestorm he created caused his performance to drop or if he was simply regressing to his normal below-average-hitting self. It could be a combination of factors but as far as approach goes, there’s a clear problem. He loves to swing at everything, especially at bad pitches out of the zone. Even worse: how often he put them in play for easy outs.

Last August, Mario Puciuc at Fangraphs looked at both Pillar’s chase rate as well as his whiff rate. Puciuc found Pillar connected with an impressive number of bad pitches outside of the strike zone. As of August 18 he ranked 20th in soft contact, largely because of a low whiff rate on bad pitches.

Sometimes he gets lucky. Most famously in the 2016 playoffs when he hit a double to tie the 2016 Wild Card game. According to August Fagerstrom that hit was off a pitch that was the “10th-highest height-adjusted pitch that went for a hit out of 382,450 hits in the PITCHf/x era.” So, this isn’t a new problem.

Pillar will almost certainly be patrolling centre field for the 2018 season. But if his defensive numbers decline again this year (21.6 UZR in 2016, 6.0 UZR in 2017) and his hitting approach doesn’t change, he may be out of a job sooner rather than later.

Contract Status

Pillar is in his first year of arbitration eligibility. He will make $3.25 million this year and is under club control through the 2020 season.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: B-Emily: BWesley James: C+

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Will Joe Biagini head north as the Toronto Blue Jays' fifth starter? That's one of the questions the club faces as it heads in spring training in Dunedin, Fla. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

While spring training acts as a time for players to get themselves prepared for the upcoming 162-game grind, it also serves as an opportunity for management to seek answers to any unresolved roster-related issues.

Like every major league club, the Toronto Blue Jays have their own set of questions that will need to be addressed over the next six weeks down south.

Below, we look at some of the areas manager John Gibbons and his coaching staff will be keeping tabs on in Dunedin.

ROTATION

Led by Marcus Stroman, the Blue Jays rotation projects to include Marco Estrada, Aaron Sanchez, and J.A. Happ. That leaves one opening to fill. Internal options include Joe Biagini, who amassed a 2-12 record supported by an ERA of 5.73 through 18 starts in 2017, Taylor Guerrieri or Chris Rowley. All three of those players have experienced varying levels of success as a starter, but could also compete for a spot in the bullpen.

Should the Blue Jays look to take advantage of a saturated free-agent market, the team could bring in talent like Lance Lynn or Jake Arrieta, though options such as Jason Vargas, Jamie Garcia or Jeremy Hellickson may provide more cost-effective solutions.

BULLPEN

When the Blue Jays acquired Randal Grichuk from the Cardinals earlier this offseason, the cost of doing business meant shipping out an interesting pitching prospect in Conner Greene and one of their most effective bullpen pieces in Dominic Leone.

As it stands, the Blue Jays' relief corps will have Roberto Osuna closing while Ryan Tepera should retain his 8th inning duties. Aaron Loup will serve as one of the pen's lefties, and Danny Barnes will look to further solidify his spot as one of the team's most reliable right-handers.

That leaves at least three bullpen assignments that will need to be awarded between now and March 29.

The early edge could go to experienced arms like Al Albuquerque, John Axford, and Jake Petricka. Gibbons would benefit from having another lefty in his pen, and this should create a competition between the recently acquired Craig Breslow, Tim Mayza, Matt Dermody and fast-rising prospect Ryan Borucki. Other right-handers that will look to throw their name into the mix include Carlos Ramirez, Deck McGuire, or any one of the Biagini, Guerrieri or Rowley trio once the fifth starter situation has been hashed out.

OUTFIELD

After declining Jose Bautista's $17M option for 2018, the Blue Jays brought in a pair of outfielders this winter and now employ a surplus of capable talent on their 40-man roster.

Curtis Granderson and Steve Pearce complement each other's skill sets well and should work as a platoon in left field. Gold Glove candidate Kevin Pillar will remain in centre, and Grichuk is set to receive everyday at-bats in right.

The need for defensive versatility on the bench, coupled with aging veterans in Granderson and Pearce, means that there could be an opportunity for Ezequiel Carerra to retain his current role on the club. That said, up and comers such as Teoscar Hernandez, Anthony Alford, Dwight Smith Jr. and Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) will be knocking on the door and, although they would all benefit from everyday playing time in the minors, they could make decisions difficult this spring.

INFIELD

Barring an injury, no one on the Blue Jays roster will unseat Josh Donaldson at third base. Troy Tulowitzki should return to shortstop, while Devon Travis will continue to work his way back from a rash of injuries and lock down his spot at second base. A year removed from establishing career-highs in games played (158), doubles (29) and home runs (38), Justin Smoak will continue to get everyday at-bats as Toronto's first baseman.

With the injury concerns surrounding both Tulowitzki and Travis top of mind, versatility on the bench will be key leaving newcomers Yangervis Solarte and Aldemys Diaz to battle it out this spring. Solarte likely has the edge in this race as, unlike Diaz, he does not have options remaining on his contract.

CATCHING

Although he remains effective when in the lineup, Montreal native Russell Martin (who will be 35 on Opening Day) isn't getting any younger, and the rigors of a 12-year big league career behind the dish are beginning to take a toll on the four-time all-star.

To keep him healthy, the Blue Jays are going to have to get creative in order to give Martin some additional days off defensively.

In 2017, all Blue Jays catchers who did not have the number 55 on their back combined to hit just .185 (57/309) with 17 extra-base hits and a total of 77 strikeouts while throwing out only 14 of 85 base stealers. These numbers will need improvement should Toronto look to compete for a hard-fought spot in the postseason next fall.

Although both Luke Maile and prospect Danny Jansen will be in camp this spring, perhaps there's an addition that can still be made on the free agent market. Those options could include Ryan Hanigan, A.J. Ellis or Martin's former backup, Chirs Stewart.

With pitchers and catchers beginning to arrive in Dunedin, Toronto's first full-squad workout will get underway on February 17. The Blue Jays are set kick off their Grapefruit League slate with a tilt against the Philadelphia Phillies on February 23.

- Follow Andrew Hendriks on Twitter (@77hendriks)

]]>What roster issues do the Blue Jays have to resolve in spring training?https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/blue-jays-have-roster-issues-to-resolve-in-spring-trainingBlue Jays to retire Halladay's numberToronto Blue JaysAndrew HendriksTue, 13 Feb 2018 01:44:32 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/VRyXNFx_U9A/blue-jays-to-retire-halladays-number54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a82401d4192020a2d747c14On Monday, the Toronto Blue Jays announced that they will retire Roy
Halladay's No. 32 on Opening Day. The club has also signed left-handed
reliever Craig Breslow to a minor league deal. Canadian Baseball Network
writer Andrew Hendriks has the details.

TORONTO - As part of their 2018 Opening Day ceremonies on March 29, the Toronto Blue Jays will formally retire Roy Halladay's No. 32 in advance of their 3:37 p.m. tilt vs. the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre.

Halladay, who retired in 2013, passed away at the age of 40 when his single-passenger airplane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico on November 7.

A first-round draft pick of the Blue Jays in 1995, Halladay is the franchise leader in winning percentage (.661), K/9 (6.57) and BB/9 (2.00). Having captured a Cy Young Award after going 22-7 with an ERA of 3.25 through 36 starts in 2003, the Colorado native was selected to six All-Star games during his tenure with Toronto, and led the American League in innings pitched on three separate occasions.

"Through Roy's values, pride, work ethic, and perseverance, he epitomized what it means to be a Blue Jay," team president Mark Shapiro said in a team-issued statement on Monday. "And while his legacy is clear, it goes far beyond the number on his back or his on-field accomplishments, serving as a shining example of how to live a meaningful life and positively impact others."

Halladay's No. 32 will represent only the second Blue Jays number retired by the team, joining Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar (No. 12) who received the honour in 2011.

Blue Jays sign Breslow

On Monday, the Blue Jays and free agent left-hander Craig Breslow came to terms on a minor league deal that comes with an invite to big league camp this spring.

Breslow, 37, joins Toronto having pitched to an ERA of 3.45 over 570 1/3 innings spread across parts of 12 seasons at the big league level.

In 2017, the 6-foot product of New Haven, Conn. posted a FIP of 4.69 with an inflated WHIP of 1.557 through 37 assignments split between Minnesota and Cleveland.

Although his recent performances have lacked the type of overall consistency that made him a lights-out option out of John Farrell's bullpen when the Red Sox were locking down their last World Series title in 2013, it's worth noting that his sinker remains tough on lefties and helped produce a .214 OBA against left-handed hitters last season.

As it stands today, Breslow should spend the spring competing with Tim Mayza and Matt Dermody for the second lefty spot in the Blue Jays bullpen alongside Aaron Loup.

- Follow Andrew Hendriks on Twitter (@77hendriks)

]]>Blue Jays to retire Halladay's numberhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/blue-jays-to-retire-halladays-numberNorton's gang came to see off legendary scoutSandlotsCanadians in the Minors2017 DraftBob ElliottTue, 13 Feb 2018 01:00:18 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/QL61AsEA3kQ/nortons-gang-came-to-see-off-legendary-scout54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a81f25524a694115131e476
Wayne Norton's friends like Pat Gillick and Bob Engle and pals of more than
50 years showed to his Clebration of Life in Port Moody, BC.

Wayne Norton continued to scout during his battle with ALS with help from Trudy, his wife of 54 years. Photo Credit: Wilson Wong/UBC

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball Network

The heavy hitters, his friends for decades, were there at the Celebration of Life to see off scout Wayne Norton the other day in Port Moody, BC.

The list read like a who’s who of Seattle Mariners officials: Hall of Famer Pat Gillick, Mariners general manager in 2000-2003; Bob Engle, former Latin and international scouting director of the Mariners, Tim Kissner, Mariners director of international scouting and Seattle scouting director Tom Allison.

Also there was Baseball Canada’s Greg Hamilton. It was Norton’s idea to form a Canadian Junior National Team after meeting a badminton player who played for the Canadian Junior National Team. Hamilton runs Baseball Canada, along with Jim Baba and Jason Dickson.

They came from four provinces and two countries to celebrate Norton’s life at the Inlet Theatre and Galleria, at City Hall in Port Moody, BC, roughly 325 people in all.

Yet besides the baseball crew there were members of the gang Norton and his wife Trudith of 54 years were a part of: Terry and Karen Docker, Al and Marleen Wightman, Danny and Gail Knight. Mel and Ruth Petrie (Abbotsford, BC), plus Bob and Gaye Baird. Danny Knight passed last fall.

Bob and Gaye Baird dated in high school, Mel and Ruth met the first year at the University of British Columbia and were also married 50 plus years.

The stories and memories from Gillick, Engle and Kissner were all excellent, heart warming and touching. If pinned down Gillick would have likely named Norton as his best friend -- they were also together when Gillick ran the Baltimore Orioles 1996–1998 and when the Blue Jays helped found the National Baseball Institute which ran for 13 seasons under John Haar sending eight Canadians to the majors. Engle, who signed Cy Young award winner Felix Hernandez, travelled through Italy, Holland and elsewhere with Norton.

Trudith told Gillick that he would hit clean-up among the speakers “which was a rare assignment for a former left-handed pitcher.”

Ian Dixon, a close friend of Norton’s, hosted the event as thoughts and memories came from Christine Hilliard, coordinator of the TriCities ALS Walk, Gerry Zipursky, former executive director of the Vancouver Jewish Community Centre when Norton was the athletic director and Port Moody Mayor Mike Clay.

Family members on hand included Steve and Daniella Norton, their daughter Carolyn, Gina and Natasha; Beth Norton and Derek Malpage plus Trudy’s sister Carol Belanger.

Yet a couple of Norton’s gang also went all the way back to his roots before pro ball and prepared these thoughts about Wayne for Trudith.

Friends then. Friends now. Friends forever.

Wayne Norton grew into one of the most respected scouts in Canadian baseball history and a Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer.

Mel Petrie’s stories

It can be challenging to look back and recall what we did in our youth almost 60 years ago. I will try to do two things give a sense of what that those years were like provide a few anecdotes from those years.

Upon reflection, the No. 1 takeaway for me personally from those earlier times was how lucky we all were to grow up in this place, at that time, with the people that we did. Port Moody was a small town but we had so much. We had the ocean to swim in, empty lots and the surrounding forests to play in, the school grounds for football and baseball, the tennis courts for ball hockey, some good sled hills and so on. And, we had the good fortune to live in a time when we could run free for hours on end during the day. There was not much in the way of organized activity but we sure were whizzes at creating our own activities.

When we started to get interested in sports, it was baseball that was king. Moody had a senior team in the Dewdney league. It was good baseball and popular. I can clearly remember Jack Black driving around town with loudspeakers mounted on top of a car announcing “baseball at the school grounds tonight.” We kids went to shag foul ball for a dime, and to watch the “big boys” play ball.

When we were Little League age the town organized a couple of teams so we could play some real games with an umpire but mostly we just played scrub or 500 or anything baseball. Equipment was never a problem because of people like Mr. Lowe. His house was about four doors down the lane from the elementary school grounds and we were allowed to walk unannounced into his basement any time and grab the gunnysack which held a few bats, the bases, etc.

As we got older and a little better, we would spend hours playing a game we called American Ping Pang. This was a baseball game we could play with four or six 6 players and it was an excellent game for developing our fielding skills. When we reached Babe Ruth league age (13-15), Wayne and good friend Bob Baird trail blazed by going up to play in a league in Blue Mountain Park up in the Como Lake area of Coquitlam. No surprise to any of us, they did very well and inspired Al Wightman and myself to follow them and try out for the same team when we reached Connie Mac League age (16-to-18. We all made it as starters and reached the provincials each year winning the BC Connie Mack championship in the middle year of the three: 1960.

Wayne and Bob both went to Whitworth College in Spokane on scholarships and both signed pro contracts. Wayne had a long and successful career playing, media, as a builder, and as a scout that most of here are familiar with. Wayne had a very successful local athletic career, excelling at a high level in both baseball and basketball, and pretty much any sport he took up and there were many. Wayne was part of a cohort of good athletes that went thru Moody High at the time. I think one of the reasons for success was the fact that while we played sports year round they were not the same sport. Most of the group played volleyball, then basketball, then track and field, and then Baseball.

Wayne was a top athlete, a good teammate, a good friend, a great competitor and just one of the boys. Without a doubt one the very best to come out of the Port Moody area all time. He will be missed but well remembered.

A few short memories from back in the day:

1. One of our favourite was playing pick- up no-pads tackle football om the weekends in the fall. We would beat on each other for a couple of hours and then all walk home together, comparing charley horses, bruises etc and laughing as we compared the creative ways we had succeeded in ripping each others T-shirts to shreds. There was a time I almost ended his baseball career in its infancy when I unfortunately tackled him into a tree, injuring his shoulder, but with no long lasting effects.

2. The time early in junior years of high school when several of our classmates of the female persuasion showed up at his house and proposed a game of spin the bottle. I guess maybe his lips got tired or something because he generously called me up to pop over and provide some relief.

3. When we first got our drivers licences but before we each bought our cars Wayne had borrowed his dad’s station wagon and we went for a spin over around the bay. He was negotiating a sharp turn at the east end of Alderside road when a telephone pole jumped out in front him and put a large dent in the front fender of his dad’s car. The call home was not a happy one.

4. The two of us pooled about $1.25 to squire a six-pack of beer one evening -- three beers each was more than enough to make us a bit wobbly ... OK a lot wobbly ... so we called our friend Reg Miller came by to pick us up and warehouse us for a few hours until our heads cleared. Some 15 years after we had graduated I took our son Mike to a few games at Nat Bailey when Wayne was playing for the Triple-A Mounties.

5. One night Wayne hit in the first and hit a frozen rope into the gap in right centre for a stand-up double. Up again in the third or fourth inning he hits another right on the nose and out of the park for a homer. Nature can be cruel. The skies open... game is washed out. Those hits never showed up in the stats but it was fun to watch.

6. Lastly, Wayne pitched so many good games that they all run together after all these years. So instead, 1 will wind it up by recalling one of the most unusual games he ever pitched. Its noon time, a tournament game at Queen’s Park Stadium in New West. Those of you who have played slow pitch know that its attraction is the non stop action. This was kind of the extreme opposite of non-stop action at least for us position players. As usual he pitched well ... in fact he threw a no hitter He also struck out about 15 in a seven inning game. What moved it into the realm of unusual was the fact he also walked about a dozen. Not a lot of action in the field that day unless you were the pitcher or the catcher. Still, another ‘W.

Those were good times. Rest easy old friend.

Bob Baird and Wayne Norton all dress up with a place to go to in the 1950s ...

And from Bob Baird ... Baird and Norton lived next door to each other in Port Moody for several years, then Norton and his family moved a couple of blocks away during their teen years.

A RHP who pitched three seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization at class-D Kingsport Pirates, class-A Batavia Pirates and class-A Reno Silver Sox.

Wayne Norton: A friend, a neighbour, a classmate, and a teammate. When you have been friends with somebody for over 60 years, there are so many celebratory stories that could be told that it makes it almost impossible to choose one or two to tell here. Especially since it is a mixed audience.

To put it in perspective, we were BFFs before BFF was even a thing. We were neighbours and classmates starting from the fifth grade. We became very close friends, and, most importantly, from a life impacting perspective, we were teammates in virtually every competitive sporting activity.

We became Gang Members — in a good way and not in the way gang members have become in today’s society. No tattoos, no secret meetings, but we did have shotguns for hunting and we drove hot rods, if you count a 1949 Austin as a hot rod. Gradually our Gang expanded to include a number of other sports-minded guys, some of whom are still friends and are here today to participate in the celebration of Wayne’s life — Al, Terry, Mel for example.

Back in the day, if it wasn’t raining we would all be outside playing baseball or football or street hockey (hey, we are Canadians, eh) or occasionally even soccer. And if the weather wasn’t okay we would be indoors playing basketball or floor hockey or pool or bowling. In fact, our Gang would break in to the local community centre in order to play basketball which, incidentally, honed our shooting skills because we wouldn’t turn on the lights in order to ensure we didn’t get caught. We found out later that the Town administrators actually knew what we were doing all along and supported our actions (this was way before insurance coverage was an issue). But, I digress.

If you can bear with me, there is one story I would like to tell that I am sure none of you has heard or is even aware of except maybe Trudy if Wayne discussed his day at the office in those days. This story is about how Wayne actually helped me get in to my reasonably successful international business career in computers and business management.

It was spring training time in Florida in 1964. I was in my third year with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and Wayne was in his fourth year and playing in the Kansas City or Oakland (can’t remember — senior’s moment — not relevant) A’s system. Our major league teams happened to be playing a spring training exhibition game against each other in the hot sun at Daytona Beach and we both happened to be on that day’s rosters.

Although, for my whole life I had been playing the outfield, the Pirates were trying to make me in to a relief pitcher and decided to bring me in to pitch the sixth inning. Unbeknownst to me, Wayne was on the bench waiting for the right moment to pinch hit — he swore it was just a coincidence that they chose to send him in to face me. FYI, I don’t believe in coincidences.

Anyhow, this was the one and only time, other than Little League, that we faced each other in a serious mano-eh-mano situation. Since we hadn’t actually seen each other for a couple of years when Wayne dug in at home plate, I thought it was appropriate to send him a message from the Gang to get this confrontation started. I tipped my hat and he tipped his hat to acknowledge the situation. Now, you old-timers who are here today also know that in the good old days a message by the pitcher was affectionately known as “chin music” — a high and inside fast ball the closer the better. So, my first pitch knocked him on his ass.

Now, if this chin music didn’t start a brawl, the next pitch was usually a curve ball in the hope of fooling the batter. Unfortunately, since I was a pitcher-in-training, my curve ball was usually straighter than my fast ball. After I shook off the catcher who was calling for my non-existent curve ball, I leaned back and fired my best fast ball. Wayne swung and hit a line drive so hard it was still rising when it hit the top of the fence in right center field. Our right fielder, a hall of famer — Roberto Clemente — didn’t even bother to move.

When Wayne jogged past second base, he turned back to me and tipped his hat with one finger raised in salute — and not his teacup finger. I tipped my hat back to him, which, apparently, was not the attitude the Pirates’ management wanted to see in their relief pitchers and I was unceremoniously removed. As revenge, I did manage to use up the remaining hot water in the showers before the end of the game and the rest of the team showed up.

Shortly thereafter I was assigned to the Reno franchise, which was much closer to Gang headquarters, which, in turn, was a small blessing when I was released after a few weeks. I then went back to university, took several courses in computers and information technology and consequently, started a long, successful career in IT.

Thanks Wayne. You will be missed, my Friend, but never forgotten.

Bob

They came from near and far. Now Wayne Norton is looking down watching, getting ready to evaluate 30 spring training camps.

Wayne Norton loved his dogs. The program for his "Celebration of Life" service offered the following quote:

“I once heard somebody define heaven as a placewhere, when you get there, all the dogs you have ever loved run to greet you.” – Robert Parker

Closer Roberto Osuna was selected to his first All-Star Game in 2017. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Wesley James

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

The 2017 season started early for Roberto Osuna. Chosen to represent his country, Mexico, at the World Baseball Classic, Osuna was excited. He had been named the 2016 Mexican Athlete of the Year and he finally had a chance to show his home country what he could do in person.

In his only WBC appearance against Italy, Osuna fared poorly. Coming in to nail down a four run lead, he quickly gave up four hits, five runs (four earned), and two walks, while striking out only one in 2/3 innings of work before getting pulled and taking the loss. Mexico wouldn’t make it to the next round. Not quite the WBC he had hoped for.

The first two hits he surrendered in his WBC appearance were doubles off his usually impressive four-seam fastball. Whether that pitch was still as effective would be the story in 2017.

The regular season started much as the WBC had for Osuna. In his first six appearances with the Blue Jays in 2017, he blew three saves. Most worrying, however, was that his fastball velocity was down. In previous seasons Osuna’s average fastball velocity hovered at about 96.6 mph, but in April of 2017 it dropped to 95 mph. Many believed that because of the WBC this was to be expected, as Osuna never really had a normal spring training to build up his arm.

Any worries were soon placed in deep hibernation. Between April 27 and July 27, he absolutely dominated. In 38 appearances he walked only four total batters, recorded 25 saves, allowed only four runs, blew only one save, and made the all star team for the first time. If he kept it up he could even make a run at the Blue Jays all time saves record of 45.

That streak finally ended on July 18 when he gave up two hits and three runs to the Los Angeles Angels. Two nights later he gave up three hits and two runs, blowing another save. Two clean appearances followed and then against the Houston Astros on August 6 he had his worst showing of the year, giving up four runs on five hits over 2/3 of an inning before getting pulled.

[Ed. Note: Of course, Osuna's much publicized battle with anxiety occurred last season although his streak of scoreless innings went through this disclosure in late June.]

“What’s wrong with Osuna?” articles began to appear. Now it appeared the Blue Jays’ blown saves record was in danger of falling. Over the next two months he would earn 11 more saves, blow three and finish the year with 39 total saves. Through it all his fastball velocity remained lower than previous years.

It’s important to note that Osuna was better than ever in 2017. Despite the 10 blown saves (third worst in team history), he had better than average stats in most other statistical categories. His WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) was a career low 0.859. He struck out 83 and walked only nine, both career bests, while giving up only three home runs in 64 innings. Those are outstanding numbers. The only number that didn’t improve was his ERA. In 2015, he finished with a 2.58 ERA and in 2016 he finished with a 2.68 ERA. In 2017 his ERA was 3.38 but even some of that number can be attributed to Toronto’s overall poor defence. [Ed. Note: His career-low FIP and xFIP of 1.74 and 2.57, respectively, seem to support this statement.]

So, is there anything to worry about? Absolutely not. There might, however, be some things to keep an eye on.

Osuna has been with the Blue Jays’ top club now for three seasons. He’s known for having one of the best four-seam fastballs in the game - it generates lots of ground balls and lots of swing and miss relative to other players. In 2015, he threw his fastball 67 percent of the time and in 2016 he threw his fastball 59 percent of the time. That changed in 2017 when he began to rely heavily on a newly developed cutter.

In 2017, he threw his four-seam fastball only 32.7 percent. His second most used pitch was the cutter at 27 percent of the time. In June, July, and August he used his cutter even more than his fastball. There’s switching things up to keep batters off balance and then there’s what Osuna did in 2017 - a reinventing of his entire approach - begging the question: what is causing his drop in velocity and why the increased cutter use?

Work load doesn’t seem to be the cause and even if he was being overused during short periods, it wouldn’t explain why his average velocity was down from the beginning of the year. Perhaps his history with Tommy John surgery is a factor, and he’s simply not selling out the way he used to as a way to save his arm.

But what if the cutter itself is slowing down his fastball velocity? There is a belief in some baseball quarters that the cutter itself leads to decreased fastball speed. Most notably, Dan Duquette has banned the cutter in Baltimore’s minor league system because he believes it limits development of both the curveball and the fastball, leading to bad habits and decreased effectiveness overall. Rick Peterson, the Baltimore Orioles former director of pitching development explained how this might happen to Foxsports.com in 2015 this way: “What happens is you start to get off to the side of the baseball (with your grip) and then you’re no longer consistently behind the baseball.” That was all stated before Statcast wizardry, so it’s been a difficult theory to prove or disprove, even for Fangraphs.

Osuna used his cutter most between June and August. His fastball velocity did bottom out in July and August, getting as low as 90.7 mph in one appearance on August 17 but generally averaging 93.7 mph that month before rebounding in September.

Again, not something to lose sleep over but definitely something to watch.

Contract Status

Osuna is in his first year of arbitration eligibility. He will make $5.3 million this year and is under club control through the 2020 season.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: BEmily: BWesley James: A-

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Or how he has a batting eye able to tell if a pitch is outside ... even by the width of a hummingbird’s beak.

In grade 12 (2000-01) and grade 13 (2001-02) he took batting practice, then hit off the tee and then he hit some more inside Bob Smyth’s Etobicoke facility. His hard work and his explosive swing made him a second round pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2002, after he was spotted at a Florida showcase by Cincinnati Reds scout John Castleberry.

Yet, we discovered something else about his high school workday the other night after we spoke to tell him he was No. 1 on our belated list of 2017’s most influential Canadians in baseball. This is our 11th annual compilation.

“In high school, I’d go hit with my friend Warren Bradley, then go home and do my ‘fake’ home work,” Votto joked. “Then, I would watch the scouting bureau videos of every single player I could find. I spent hour after hour watching Joe Mauer. I mean I was obsessed. Joe Mauer ran well. Joe Mauer threw well. He was first overall pick in 2001. I tried to emulate him.”

Originally, the Bloordale Bomber and Etobicoke Ranger wanted to grow up to be like Scott Thorman (Cambridge, Ont.) of the Ontario Blue Jays. Votto saw Thorman hit each weekend morning for coach Gary Wilson, working out at Smyth’s facility. And more and more Votto hit (“Did he hit? Huh. Only until his hands bled,” Smyth used to say). Votto studied videos of Chipper Jones, first overall in 1990; Derek Jeter sixth overall to the New York Yankees in 1992 and Casey Kotchman, 13th overall to the Anaheim Angels in 2001; Melvin Upton, second over-all and Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) fourth overall, who were both chosen in 2002.

Votto won the MVP award in 2010 with an OPS of 1.024 as the Reds won the NL Central Divison. This year his OPS was 1.032, as he hit .320, had the highest OPS (.454) in the National League for a sixth time and finished second in the MVP voting behind Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton (302-300 in the voting). Each had 10 first-place votes. Stanton had 10 second-place votes and five third-place votes. Votto had nine second-place votes and four third-place selections.

The voting was so close that had Votto been one spot higher on the ballot he would have won (a fourth instead of a third). Three voters were singled out for not voting either Votto or Stanton in the top three. The two Miami voters had Stanton first and Votto third. Another national writer had Votto fourth. Those were telling ballots.

Did Votto stomp and cuss?

Did he say that voters “need to do a better job on their homework?”

Did he claim an anti-Ohio bias?

Far from it ... He told reporters: “(Stanton) and I had similar seasons but we could not be more different. We both had 10 first place votes. Thank you to everyone who voted for me. Holy cow, what an honour to finish second. What an honour to receive 10 first-place votes. With the way we finished in the standings (68-94), it wasn’t a strong year. To have 10 first-place votes is such an honour.”

* * *In 2010, when he was named the most influential he said “Growing up, looking out across the border, I saw bright lights, stronger arms, stronger bats, players who had more exposure than we did. There was more TV coverage, more support from their communities. All we heard as kids was how everything was better in the U.S. when it came to baseball.

“Hearing that all those years I couldn’t help but feel inferior. Some Canadian kids have that feeling because we spend so much time on hockey. It’s important young kids understand that kids from here can make it in baseball.”

And last week he recalled when he broke into the minors.

“You play locally and think these guys are really good, you read names in Baseball Ameriica and eventually you think they are matchable,” said Votto who recalls early in his career people would ask if he was competing against Larry Walker, Matt Stairs or Justin Morneau.

“When Larry played he was thinking about competing against Barry Bonds. I tried to compete with the masses, whether it was Jose Altuve, Bryce Harper, Giancarlo Stanton or Mike Trout.”

At the annual Baseball Canada banquet Votto sat with Atlanta Braves prospect Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) and St. Louis Cardinals prospect Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC). What questions did the prospects ask the established major leaguer?

Not a lot, but that did not surprise Votto.

“Younger players learn by observation, by being inspired by what they see,” Votto said. “Very rarely do I have a conversation about how to perform. Players always seem to get the message by watching and observing.”

Now, 18 or 19 years after he first started working out indoors in Etobicke, he returns to the same place, now known as Denny Bernyi’s Pro Teach. And he gets the same reaction from youngsters who stand and watch him hit.

“I find the youth players will wait until I get finished, then they ask if they could take a picture,” Votto said. “My schedule is so inconsitent the way they act is the same whether I am there at 10 AM or midnight,”

Votto learned by observing too. Especially when Scott Rolen joined the Reds from the Blue Jays.

“I remember watching Rolen after what could have been a bad call, how he did not say a word or complain and thinking, ‘Oh, so that’s how you act?’” Votto said. “Same with Ken Griffey. He never let the umpires distract from his game.”

If you regularly watched the Blue Jays the last decaade, the way they roll their eyes and heads or throw their arms in the air, this might be a novel concept.

* * *Since the final day of the season -- a 3-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley on Oct. 1 -- Votto has been to two funerals. He was amongst the mourners for Walter “Superbubz” Herbert, a first-grade student who died of cancer.

Votto homered against the New York Mets reliever Jeurys Familia on Aug. 31, high-fived young Walter who was sitting behind home plate and suffering from stage 4 neuroblastoma. Votto returned with his bat and his uniform to Walter. When the youngster passed away in October, Votto attended the visitation, bringing flowers for the family and posing for a photo with Walter’s sister Adley.

“At no point did I ever feel comfortable about talking about this little boy out of respect for the family," Votto said.

And he attended the funeral of Etobicoke Rangers coaching legend Steve (Whitey) Brietner, who Votto threw out the first pitch to when the Reds visited the Rogers Centre last summer.

* * *Votto has won the Tip O’Neill award as Canada’s player of the year seven times in the last nine years. He has been named the Most Influential Canadian in Baseball three times, the George Gross Sportsman of the Year award twice and has won the Lou Marsh award twice -- all in the past eight years, He is one of nine athletes to be multiple winner of Canada’s athlete of the year. Marlene Streit (golf), Nancy Greene (alpine skiing), Sandy Hawley (horse racing), Ben Johnson (track), Jacques Villeneuve (auto racing) and Sidney Crosby (hockey) each won twice, while Barbara Ann Scott (figure skating) won three times and Wayne Gretzky (hockey) four times. Votto has studied the list.

“I love the award because of all the different sports, because men or women can win,” Votto said. “I’m very proud and I love the list of names. It’s such a diverse award. The major professional sports are one thing but when a Canadian does something on the world stage we are extremely proud.

“As a country we probably have a hockey bias, but looking at the list the bias does not show.”

So if you listen to Votto, you can learn you can get better by studying video other hitters (or pitchers), that there is zero reason for Canadian youngsters to have an inferiority complex, not to argue with umpires, to lose with class and show proper respect to those who have passed.

And now on with the list ...

1. Joey Votto, Reds (1).

In December of 2016 two events happened in the same week: Votto was named most influential Canadian in baseball and Votto decided he would not participate in the 2017 WBC in Miami. We received a few complaints on that one. Well, 2016 was 2016 ... we’ll see what happens. Votto stayed in Arizona so he would have a better year than 2016 (on May 29 he was batting .207) and he did just that. In 2017, he had the same amount of doubles (34) as in 2016, more homers (36), RBIs (100), walks (134), on-base (.454) and OPS (1.032).

Votto’s career on-base mark is .969, which is the 11th best all-time of the 19,183 players tooo play the game. Everyone ahead of him -- Ted Williams (.482), Babe Ruth (.474), John McGraw (.466), Billy Hamilton (.455), Lou Gehrig (.447), Rogers Hornsby (.434), Ty Cobb (.433) and Jimmie Foxx (.428) -- except Barry Bonds (.444) and Bill Joyce (.435) are already in Cooperstown. Joyce only played eight seasons and one has to have played 10 years to be eligible.

2. Edward Rogers, deputy chairman, Rogers Communications (5).

If the time does come for Rogers Corp. to sell the Blue Jays, Edward Rogers will make the call. He is the boss, He and his executives do not think the increase from the $125 million purchase price in the team to the $1.6 billion evaluation is properly reflected in the company’s stock price. News broke Dec. 6, Rogers could sell the team and on Jan. 25 during a fourth-quarter conference call, there was word that the team was not for sale. Do things change that quickly. Maybe because Rogers or Major League Baseball would like to know how much the franchise is worth.

After news broke that the team was for sale Edward took over for chairman Alan Horn. So he is more powerful than a year ago today. Edward could sell the Jays to another party or he could roll the Jays into a separate group either with or without Sportsnet, thump his chest and say “I am the chairman, I am doing what I want.” We’ve heard the analogy that if the company is an adult (including wireless, TV, radio, etc.) the ball club is the size of a finger nail. Well Rogers Communications spends twice as much in marketing as the Jays spend on players.

The Jays are attempting to sell Rogers Centre naming rights to either TD Bank or the Royal Bank. One story we have heard is that Edward was not told about the naming rights process and is sending his own financial expert to 1 Blue Jays Way. A six-man governance committee has been formed to decide the better offer: Edward Rogers, Roger Rai, a Rogers consultant; Tony Staffieri, chief financial officer; Joe Natale, president & CEO at Rogers; Jays president Mark Shapiro and Andrew Miller, executive vice president of business operations.

Farhan Zaidi, Dodgers GM. Photo: Kirby Lee, USA Today.

3. Farhan Zaidi, Dodgers GM, (4).Opposing GMs and agents have said that the Dodgers ran a three-pronged attack: president Andrew Friedman, GM Zaidi and assistant GM Alex Anthopoulos. One agent told a story of arriving at 11 AM before a night game to see manager Dave Roberts standing at home plate listening to Friedman, Zaidi and Anthopoulos talk ... and talk. Said another agent: “Farhan and Alex are very smart. Farhan is a little funnier. Alex has a better jump shot.”

All of baseball said Giancarlo Stanton was driving the bus during trade talks to exit the Miami Marlins. Yet it was Wolfe, whose parents grew up in Montreal, who was his No. 1 navigator. It was exhausting to meet (and say no to both) the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals. And then out of nowhere the largest contract in all of sports and reigning NL MVP with 59 homers was dealt to the New York Yankees.

He is handling Yu Darvish’s free agency, which is said to consist of a five-year offer. Besides that, he landed ex-Jay reliever Brandon Morrow a two-year deal, plus a vesting option for just 50 appearances which could make the deal with the Cubs worth $34 million, RP Jake McGee a three-year $9 million deal with the Colorado Rockies; RHP Tyson Ross signed a minor-league deal with the San Diego Padres and signed Orioles SS Tim Beckham.

In addition to Stanton taking MVP honours over Votto, Wolfe’s stable included two Gold Glovers in Giants SS Brandon Crawford and Rockies Nolan Arenado, who won Platinum honours.

5. Alex Anthopoulos, Braves GM (12).

Anthopoulos was a driving force in the Dodgers’ front office, first signing Brandon Morrow after a major-league deal never came for the former first rounder. He played an important role in convincing the Dodgers brass to promote Morrow when he opted out of his contract. Morrow had a 2.06 ERA -- walking nine and fanning 50 in 43 2/3 innings -- allowing 31 hits. He was overworked in the World Series.

It’s a tired and true line trotted out by one GM or president after another. Like J.P. Ricciardi and now the current Jays regime about how “the cupboard is bare” in the minors. They tell their friends in the media “you didn’t get it from me, but ...” Like former Cleveland Indian and MLB Network panelist Sean Casey saying that the “Jays have nothing in the minors” and that trading Josh Donaldson will afford them the opportunity to replenish their farm system. Vladimir Guerrero, the only $3.9 million signing bonus negotiated “En français” (between Anthopoulos and Guerrero’s mother) that we have heard about. Bo Bichette, Anthony Alford, Ryan Borucki and Guerrero are a long way from bare. Guerrero is ranked among the top three prospects lists. Along with Guerrero, Bichette and Alford are ranked in the 60 by Baseball America and MLB.Pipeline.

On Nov. 13, Anthopoulos was hired as Braves GM and executive vice-president as John Hart was removed as president. He will have autonomy of baseball operations, giving him more power than any Braves general manager since John Schuerholz (1990-2007). Anthopoulos takes over from John Coppolella, forced to resign after rule violations and banned for life. Now, Anthopoulos makes roughly the same as he turned down leaving the Jays two years ago and takes over what Baseball America named the best minor league organization. Hall of Famers Bobby Cox and John Schuerholz interviewed Anthopoulos between Games 5 and 6 of the World Series.

6. Larry Walker, Hall of Fame candidate (8).Walker has never received more than 22.9% of the required 75% in his first seven years from the Baseball Writers Association of America. He has not had a base hit since striking out in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series in the ninth inning facing Astros Dan Wheeler. Yet, he is finally gaining traction this year. He has 2019 and 2020 as his final years on the ballot.

Walker jumped to 34.1% after being at 21.9% last year. He gained more votes (44) than anyone but Vladimir Guerrero (75). The knock by some against Walker has always been that he played in Denver, despite the fact he played 70% of his games elsewhere. As for the knock on road average, he batted .278 (90th) between Andre Dawson (.2783) and Max Carey (.2777); had an on-base mark of .370 between Joe Cronin (.371) and Duke Snider, Hank Aaron and Al Kaline (.369 each); slugged .495, which ranked 26th behind Larry Doby (.496) and ahead of Jim Bottomley (.486) and 168 home runs 37th, behind Al Kaline (173) and ahead of Gary Carter and Rickey Henderson (162 each).

Among HOF corner outfielders he is 13th in OPS+ (ahead of Billy Williams and Dave Winfield) and in WAR he is 14th (ahead of Willie Stargell and Williams). In 1997, he had a .443 on-base mark and slugged .733 on the road. At Coors he had 2,501 plate appearances compared to 5,529 other stadia. He had an on-base mark of .462 at home and .372 elsewhere. At home he slugged .710 and was .501 other places.

There are zero statues of ball players near the Rogers Centre, but there is a scupture of Russell Martin in front of Cayleigh Parrish’s The SPORT Gallery in the Distillery section. He and Johnny Bower guard the doors. Photo: Wayne Parrish Studios.

7. Russell Martin, Blue Jays (2).

Canada’s greatest catcher played the least amount of games (91), had the fewest plate appearances (365) and at-bats (307) in his 12-year career due to injuries. And for only the third time his club did not make post-season play, but that’s not his fault. He had played in October three times with the Dodgers (2006, 2008-09), twice with the Yankees (2011-12), twice with both Pittsburgh (2013-14) and the Jays (2015-16).

Martin has caught 1,448 games in his career. The rest of the top five Canucks are George Gibson (London, Ont.), Larry McLean (Fredericton NB), Jimmy Archer (Toronto, Ont.) and Nig Clarke (Amherstburg, Ont.). There is not be a statue of a ball player in front of the Rogers Centre -- there used to be one of broadcasting/wireless pioneer Ted Rogers -- but Martin has a statue of himself in front of Cayleigh Parrish’s The SPORT Gallery in the Distillery section.

Martin and Maple Leafs great Johnny Bower have been there since last summer. Imagine how many stops those two combined to make. Martin was immortalized by Patrick Amiot, who grew up in Montreal and was born the evening Jacques Plante donned his mask for the first time. Amiot now lives in Sebastopol, Calif.

Some writers vote for Hall of Famers. Others lobby. And one is like Keith Davey, the Liberal Party Rainmaker. Keri ran a campaign to get Tim Raines his deserved place in Cooperstown. It was a long climb up the hill. He cranked things up a year ago in each TV or radio or podcast appearance and finally reached the top. He went to verbal war and won facing MLB Network’s Chris (Mad Dawg) Russo, who did not think Raines belonged, in a debate. Keri changed writers minds with an open letter https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/a-letter-to-bbwaa-voters-why-tim-raines-deserves-to-be-in-the-hall-of-fame/

Raines went from 69.8% (307 votes) to 86% (380). And like the great ones -- Roy Halladay, Pat Hentgen, Joey Votto -- he did not forget who helped him speaking to Keri in his speech and Keri wept. Keri, joined by his childhood pal David Itzkovits, claimed he had the sniffles.

“There’s a few guys that I want to talk about before I get into my career. The one guy I want to talk about, who was inspirational for me especially in the past three or four years for my candidacy into the Hall of Fame, and that guy is Jonah Keri. This was a kid that grew up watching Tim Raines play. I remember seeing a picture of us. I think he had to be about six or seven and I was in my Montreal uniform and he told me ‘This was me.’ Jonah is about 37 now. I said no way. He said ‘Yeah, this is me, back in the day, I watched your every move as a player. You were my favourite player.

“Today I want to thank him so very much for his support and for him getting that name out there. There are a lot of things that I didn’t even know myself. This guy told me about stats that where I was like ‘Did I do that?’ Not only that but we have become really good friends And again thank you.”

9. Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada (3).

The Canadian Junior National team did not have all hands on deck for the World Juniors in Thunder Bay, but after a poor start, upset No. 1 Japan and lost in the Super Round playing for bronze against Japan. Hamilton’s team was without INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) who was injured and OF Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.) at class at Vanderbilt. The goal of the program is to get players to the next level. RHP Landon Leach (Pickering, Ont.) signed a $1.4 millon with the Twins and the O’s gave Hall $1.3 million.

Putting together Canada’s WBC rroster was difficult for Hamilton since Canada’s best could not make it. Hamilton did not have Reds 1B Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.), LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC), Jameson Taillon, whose parents were born in Ontario, RP John Axford (Simcoe, Ont.) and OF Michael Saunders (Victoria, BC). Plus Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) was injured and Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) stayed in camp with the White Sox fearing he would be cut.

There was a replacement for Votto in Freddie Freeman, who slid in to share 1B-DH duties with Justin Morneau. Canada lost 9-2 to the Dominican, 4-1 to Colombia and 8-0 to Team USA. George Kottaras (Markham, Ont.) had three hits, while Rene Tosoni (Port Coquitlam, BC), Eric Wood (Pickering, Ont.) and Peter Orr (Newmarket, Ont.) each had a pair of hits. The other hits went to Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.), Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) and Jonathan Malo (Laval, Que.). Canada will have to qualify in 2020 for the 2021, as will Chinese Taipei, Mexico and China.

10. Fergie Jenkins, Hall of Famer (14).

We remember someone telling us as a peewee that peewee baseball was named after Pee Wee Reese. We didn’t believe it. Not for a second. But years later we discovered Babe Ruth and Connie Mack divisions. Organizers thought so much of the Hall of Famers, they named whole age groups after them.

And this summer, 47 teams from 10U to 18U will play in the Fergie Jenkins League based in Welland and run by Scott Bullett. Organizations fielding teams on different levels include the Bullettproof Prospects, Ontario Athletics, Ontario Giants, Ottawa Knights, Tri-City Giants, Central Ontario Reds, Fieldhouse Buccaneers, Kingston Colts, Ontario Cardinals, Ontario Athletics, Ontario Blue Jays, Upper Canada Rebellion and the Oakville Hammers.

Jenkins is much in demand when it comes to signing autographs. As our Kevin Glew points out in 1971 Jenkins had 30 complete games, while last year’s Cubs staff had 28. Canada’s national treasure received a World Series ring on April 10 when the Cubs opened 2017 at Wrigley Field with a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on an Anthony Rizzo single.

11. Pat Gillick, senior advisor, Phillies (10).

In September, it was Tournament 12 time and the Phillies had the worst record in the game, which translates into the first pick for June in 2018. Gillick, a Canadian citizen, lives in Birmingham, Mich., near his daughter Kim, her husband David and grandson Cooper, made the trip to scout C Noah Naylor. And stayed over the next day to watch him again. Some people e-mail complaining Canadian Junior Team members should not be in the T-12. Well, if the juniors aren’t at Rogers Centre, a Hall of Famer like Gillick, scouts and recruiters aren’t either.

Gillick, senior advisor to the president Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak, as well as a minority owner, was in on selecting OF Mickey Moniak with the first overall pick in 2016. He’s ranked the 29th best prospect in the minor by Jim Callis on MLB.Pipeline. Moniak hit .236 with five homers, 44 RBIs and a .625 OPS in 123 games at class-A Lakewood. The Phillies, coming off 66 wins, will pick third, while the Tigers go first and the Giants -- both with 64 wins -- draft second.

Don Cherry waatching the Cubs host the Blue Jays from the Wrigley Field press box.

You may think that Donald S. (Kingston, Ont. -- Canada’s first capital) has a nice little seven-minute slot after the first period and the extent of his popularity runs from Legion Branch No. 9 in Kingston to Branch 160 in Comox, BC. Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, BC), special assistant to Cubs president/GM, asked Cherry to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” on Aug. 19 when the Blue Jays visited Wrigley Field.

Cherry was on the field pregame when Cubs manager Joe Maddon came out of the dugout to greet him. Then, Dempster, who first saw Cherry on TV as a seven or eight-year-old, led Cherry from the field up to the press box. “I’ve told many a person this but walking around Wrigley with Don Cherry was honestly like walking around with Paul McCartney or Babe Ruth,” Dempster said. “I’ve been there for many a celebrity and Don stood out by far and away as the top. Young and old. Men and women. It was like nothing I’ve seen.”

It took half an hour for the Cherry entourage to move up one level through the stands as he was continually asked to pose for pictures, sign program or simply shake hands with a fan. Men. Women. Children. Grandpas. Cubs fans. Jays fans. Dempster said Cherry was “much more knowledgeable about baseball than I thought he would be, especially when it came to the Jays, his wherewithal was quite impressive.”

13. Buddy Black, manager, Colorado Rockies (6).

Harry “Bud” Ralston Black was accepting congratulations after the 2015 season. He had been let go by San Diego but was now hired by the Washington Nationals. One problem. The Nats pay their managers slightly over the pay grade for the head night security guard. So, when it came time to talk contract an agreement was not reached. Black was special assistant to the Angels GM in 2016 and last year managed the Rockies to 87 wins and post-season play for the first time since 2009.

Black is WBC eligible and able to take over for Ernie Whitt some day because his father Harry was born in the Edmonton area and his mom in Melville, Sask. His father was recruited from the Olds (Alberta) Elks to skate for UCLA in 1938. Buddy has managed his teams to 736 wins in his 10 seasons and went 121-116 in 15 years, including two wins in three starts for the 1990 Blue Jays, beating the Yankees and the Orioles. He played two seasons at San Diego State where he was a teammate of Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn and was a 1992 inductee into the SDSU Aztec Hall of Fame.

14. Bob McCown, host, Prime Time Sports (11). Since I am not driving to and from ball parks as much as other year, I do admit I am no longer a full-time listener any more. However, I do talk to people. People like Claude Themalfachuck, who tells me “Robert is as strong as ever," as well as others who know Rory Calhoun's distant cousin.

When it came time for Sportsnet to break the news on their news story of the year -- that Gregg Zaun was fired after multiple women at Sportsnet complained about his “inappropriate behavior” in the workplace -- Rogers Media president Rick Brace gave the release to McCown alone to read. McCown was re-upped for three more years Dec 31. Happy New Year.

15. Dan Shulman, broadcaster, ESPN, Sportsnet (17)

After being the smooth voice of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball since 2011, Shulman is stepping down to spend more time at home. But in the end it probably means more Shulman on Jays games. He did about 30 games last year and that is likely due to increase. And the first Jays-Yankees game he does with his former partner Aaron Boone in the New York dugout will be fun to hear.

The Toronto resident will still have a full college hoops schedule for ESPN, will call the entire postseason on ESPN Radio and do a limited number of weeknight TV games for ESPN. This is Shulman’s 20th year calling baseball for ESPN. He began doing postseason radio in 1998. He served as the voice of ESPN’s Monday (2008-10) and Wednesday Night games (2002-07). Son Matthew, who was raised right and was a former Jays intern (best since Dean Knudson), now works in the financial field.

16. John Ircandia, managing director, Okotoks Dawgs (18).

Another year and another bump for Ircandia’s passion: his summer college team. Ballpark Digest showed that the Dawgs drew the third highest attendance among the 153 summer college teams which drew more than 100 fans per game. Okotoks moved up from fourth to third with an average attendance of 4,104, up from 3,329 in 23 home date. The Madison Mallards were No. 1 (6,039) and the Savannah Bananas (3,659) were next in average attendance at Seaman Stadium. Not bad for a group which was told it could not find a home in Calgary.

As for the Dawgs Academy, they won the bantam and peewee Alberta titles, while the midgets won the Buckeye Elite at Ohio State and Firecracker Invitational showcases in Spokane, Wash. Caesar Valero committed to NCAA’s top ranked Oregon State and was one of coach Allan Cox’s 22 players selected to attend Tournament 12 with Micah McDowell named MVP. Word was at T12 that the Dawgs had one of its best recruiting years.

While sons Matt and Vince Ircandia have moved on from the program, father John, the Big Dawg, continually strives to make his program better. Matt is a marketing analyst at Tourmaline Oil and Vince used to be senior vice president of business operations with the Portland Trail Blazers and now has his own business analytics consulting company, StellarAlgo Corp. This month national team coach Greg Hamilton (Peterborough, Ont.) and long-time Dawgs coach Dave Robb (Lac Le Biche, Alta.) were inducted in the Dawgs Hall.

It was his bomb to deliver and Staffieri dropped it ... strategically. This news blast was not in the Financiaal Post or the Globe. Staffieri chose to say that Rogers was interested in selling the Blue Jays to free up capital for its main communications businesses in front of a world-wide audience in an on stage interview at the UBS Global Media and Communications conference in New York.

Staffieri said that the Jays are a “very valuable asset for us that we don’t get full credit for.” He said there wasn’t anything imminent “but we’re certainly looking at the alternatives,” and would like “to get content without having capital tied up on our balance sheet.” The Jays team payroll is way less than the Rogers marketing budget.

18. Kyle Boddy, Driveline Baseball (20).

Not many facilities get major league props in front of a national TV audience. Trevor Bauer has just thrown 98 pitches, working 6 2/3 scoreless as the Indians beat the Yankees 4-0 in Game 1 of the AL Division Series. Bauer allowed two hits and walked one, while fanning eight. “The guys at Driveline did a good job,” Bauer told Tom Verducci of Fox Sports before quickly moving onto a post-game cliche.

Bauer is just one client of Boddy, born in Cleveland to his Toronto-born father. He runs an indoor facility at Kent, Wash. who worked with weighted balls. Bauer was 17-9 with a 4.19 ERA in 31 starts as he walked 60 and fanned 196 in 176 1/3 innings last season, Brandon McCarthy was 6-4 with a 3.98 ERA in 16 starts with 27 walks and 72 strikeouts in 92 2/3 innings with the Dodgers, ex-Jay Matt Boyd make more starts for the Tigers than Daniel Norris going 6-11 with a 5.27 ERA walking 53 and whiffing 110 in 135 frames, Dan Straily was 10-9, 4.26, walking 60 and fanning 170 in 181 2/3 innings.

And it is where former Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum went to begin his comeback using Trackman and Rapsodo on how pitchers spin the ball.

19. Arlene Anderson, CEO, Sam Bat (21).

Not a bad year for the Carleton Place bat factory. Both MVPs -- Houston’s Jose Altuve and Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton -- were among the 137 pros who ordered Sam Bat product. The company is doing a booming business online. Founder Sam Holman was at the winter meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Again Sam Bat is featured on SONY MLB The Show, showed with our Players Weekend Custom bats with a photo in the New York Times and developed new transition bats for Youth, the MC-5 (Miguel Cabrera’s knob variation), Sam-5 and the KB-5. Russell Martin ordered Sam Bat as did other Jays Kendrys Morales, Marco Estrada and Aaron Sanchez.

The biggest planned honour at a ball park is the ceremonial first pitch and then singing the anthem. Except at Wrigley Field there is this another honour when guests sing Harry Carry’s seventh-inning “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” With the Jays in town on Friday Aug. 18, the Cubs gave actress Elisabeth Moss (The West Wing, Mad Men) and Sunday afternoon former Cub Gary (The Sarge) Matthews. Dempster, the star of MLB.Network, “Doughnuts with Demp” and a Cubs front office exec, booked Don Cherry for Saturday.

Someone was supposed to accompany Cherry but at the last minute became ill, so, ex-big leaguer Greg O’Halloran (Mississauga, Ont.), who originally set everything up, pinch hit. An Ontario Terriers coach, O’Halloran took his cousin Bill O’Harra with him. Except there were zero Air Canada tickets left for their Saturday AM flight. No problem. Dempster obtained the use of Jon Lester’s private plane. Cherry was a hit on the field, in the seats and in the booth. Wrigley organist Gary Pressey is a Bruins fan and used to go to games at the Garden when Cherry coached. Cherry sent Pressey a personalized photo. “We thought fans would really appreciate him. They did and he didn’t disappoint,” said Dempster who gave credit to Max Berman, who brings guests in. Berman asked if Dempster could help make it happen. “The reaction after the stretch was a 10! His kindness and generosity of his time with people was special to watch.”

And while Dempster missed the 2006 World Baseball Classic, he came out of retirement to start the opener last March in Miami against the Dominican Republic (four runs in two innings). And on one day’s rest faced Team USA (three runs in 1/3 of an inning). His yearly trip to Chicago and a tour of Wrigley is annually the top seller at the annual Baseballl Canada auction. In all, through his fantasy auction packages and donations to the program, he has raised $220,000.

21. Jeffrey Royer, general partner, Arizona Diamondbacks (25).

In the business world, one conglomerate merges with another. There has yet to be a merger, but this summer, David Royer, a graduate of the High Park Braves, worked in baseball operations for the Blue Jays, who we all know are owned by Rogers Communications.

His father, Jeffrey, is an independent director of one of Canada’s leading cable TV families -- Shaw Communications -- and also one of the 30 business operations running big-league teams. The Toronto resident committed $160 million US over a 10-year span as part owner of the Diamondbacks. He was the largest single investor in the Israeli Baseball League, which started in 2007.

He is also Chairman of Baylin Technologies, Inc. and Galtronics Corporation Ltd, as well as being affiliated with (B. Y.) Medimor Ltd., as well as Beit Ben Yehuda, Massuah Hotels, Family Channel Oy and Emmit Labs, Inc.

22. Jeff Mallett, part owner, Giants (29).

He was on the losing end as the University of Victoria Vikes were edged 1-0 by the McGill Redmen in 1982 at the Canadian university soccer championship. He later played at Santa Rosa JUCO and San Francisco State University, earning All-American honors. He has not done a lot of losing since, picking up World Series rings in 2010, 2012 and 2014 with the Giants as a part owner since 2002. Before that he was president and CEO for Yahoo Inc. for eight years.

Also an owner of the MLS Vancouver Whitecaps and the Derby County Football Club, in the UK League, he owns the class-A San Jose Giants as well. San Jose had 62 wins in five months, two short of the Giants total over the six-month schedule. Mallett established The Jeffrey Mallett Leadership Award which is an annual scholarship awarded to an outstanding University of Victoria student. He was the inaugural winner of the UVic Business Board of Advisors, Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2004.

23. Paul Beeston, president emeritus, Jays (13).

When it came time for someone to phone and express sympathies to Brandy Halladay on Nov. 7 after it was confirmed that her husband, former Jays ace Roy Halladay had died, Beeston was given the assignment. Halladay had crashed his ICON A5 in the Gulf of Mexico, 17 minutes after taking off from a lake near his Tampa-area home.

He was also part of the 16-man Modern Era Committee which elected former Detroit Tigers great Jack Morris and Alan Trammell to Cooperstown at Lake Buena Vista, Fla. during the December winter meetings. Morris had 14 votes, while his shortstop had 13. Hall of Fame Chairman of the Board Jane Forbes Clark served as the non-voting chairman of the committee which included Hall of Fame members George Brett, Rod Carew, Bobby Cox, Dennis Eckersley, John Schuerholz, Don Sutton, Dave Winfield and Robin Yount; major league executives Sandy Alderson (Mets), Bob Castellini (Reds), Bill DeWitt (Cards) and David Glass (Royals) and Beeston; and plus historians Steve Hirdt, Jayson Stark and some other guy.

24. James Paxton, Mariners (-).

The former Jays first-round pick (unsigned) receives a raise to $4.9 million from $2.35 million, after becoming into the ace of Seattle pitching staff. Paxton was 12-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 24 starts last season. He walked 37 and fanned 156 in 136 innings. He was on the disabled list in 2017 with a forearm strain and a pectoral injury, which was a blow to the M’s post-season run. He earned Mariners Pitcher of the Year honours from the Seattle chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America setting career bests in wins (12), starts (24), innings (136), strikeouts (156) and ERA (2.98).

He prepped for the regular season on his normal pace and came out of the gate firing strikes, in three straight scoreless outings of at least six innings joining George McQuillan (1907), Lefty Leifield (1907), Ray Caldwell (1914), George Mogridge (1916), Harry Brecheen (1948), Luis Tiant (1966), Tommy Greene (1991), Woody Williams (2003) and Jordan Zimmerman (2016). He started with 23 consecutive scoreless innings, the best the Mariners history.

Paxton earned AL Pitcher of the Month for July, going 6-0 with a 1.37 ERA (6 ER, 39.1 IP) with 46 strikeouts and six walks in six July starts in July, becoming the first Mariners pitcher to win six games in a single month. He became one of 10 lefties in history (the 12th) to record at least six wins, an ERA of 1.40-or-better and at least 40 strikeouts in any calendar month (last: Clayton Kershaw-LAD, June 2014).

25. Andrew Tinnish, assistant GM, Blue Jays (23).

Four more of Tinnish’s drafts made the majors: Anthong Alford, Casey Lawrence and Ian Parmley with the Jays, along with former No. 1 Deck McGuire with the Reds. They join a group of Aaron Sanchez, Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Justin Nicolino, Kevin Pillar, Daniel Norris, Dalton Pompey, Anthony DeSclafani, Joe Musgrove, Daniel Barnes, Sean Nolin and Asher Wojciekowski. Alex Anthopoulos and Tinnish signed Vlad Guerrero.

Tinnish covers Latin America as well as being involved in the day-to-day operations. This year he signed Brazillian sensation, the 5-foot, 8-inch RHP Eric Pardinho, who the Jays gave a $1.8 million bonus after scouting him since he was 14. He also signed SSs Leonardo Jimenez of Panama for $800,000 and Dominican dandy Miguel Hiraldo, signed for $750,000. He agreed to join Anthopoulos in Atlanta changed his mind 96 hours after the announcement and returned to the Blue Jays.

26. Stubby Clapp, manager, triple-A Memphis (24).

There is always a lot of pressure on a manager. Yet, how much more is there when your number is retired and hanging on the wall above the Redbirds’ bullpen at AutoZone Park? Clapp’s No. 10 went up April 21, 2007, as the first number ever retired by the Memphis Redbirds. He is second in franchise history for games played (425) and hits (418). He was a fan fave due to his outstanding play at second and his Ozzie Smith-like back flips.

Baseball America named Clapp 2017 Minor League Manager of the Year after his club went 91-50 (.645), the most wins for a Memphis club since 1948 and the triple-A Pacific Coast League title, beating El Paso in a five-game championship series. During their title march, the Redbirds set a franchise record with an 11-game win streak and going 13-0 in extra-innings. Clapp was also PCL Manager of the Year, the first Memphis manager to earn either honours.

27. Jim Stevenson, area scout, Astros (28).

The World Series champion Astros will be getting their Series rings April 2 when they host the Baltimore Orioles. And one of those getting a ring is Jim Stevenson (Leaside, Ont.), who coached at Leaside and now scouts for Houston out of his Tulsa, Oak. home. He selected Dallas Keuchel in the seventh round of the 2009 draft from the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and gave him $150,000 to turn pro. Keuchel has won a Cy Young award and is 55-34 won-loss record with a 3.15 ERA, walking 194 and striking out 631 in 745 2/3 innings over the last four years.

Stevenson drafted Canadian Baseball Network First Team OF Jonathan Lacroix (Montreal Que.) from Seminole State College in the 12th and gave him a $125,000 bonus last year. In 2016, he selected 3B Abraham Toro-Hernandez (Greenfield Park, Que.), also from Seminole State, giving him a $250,000 bonus. Splitting 2017 between the class-A Quad Cities River Bandits and class-A Tri City Valley Cats, he hit 11 doubles, two triples, 15 homers and 33 RBIs. The switch-hitter batted .246 with an .859 OPS in 69 games.

Two of Stevenson’s previous draftees from Northeastern Oklahoma, were added to their respective 40-man rosters. The Astros added RHP Dean Deetz, 11th rounder in 2014 and OF Ramon Laureano, 23rd round in 2014 and dealt to Oakland (for Brandon Bailey).

28. Ron Tostenson, national cross checker, Cubs (22).

Last June, Tostenson, was in on drafting pitchers early and often, eight of the first 11 picks, including two who made Baseball America’s Cubs top 10 list. Ranked fifth was RHP Alex Lange, a second rounder who was given $1,925,000. He appeared in four games at class-A Eugene, going 0-1 with a 4.82, walking three and fanning 13 in 9 1/3 innings. And No. 10 on the list was OF Nelson Velazquez, a fifth rounder from Carolina, P.R., who was given $400,000. He hit .236 with eight homers and 17 RBIs in 32 games.

A lot of Cubs were scouted by Tostenson -- drafted Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell, Albert Almora and LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.). Canucks in the system include LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) and 3B Jesse Hodges (Victoria, BC). Both were at class A Myrtle Beach Pelicans where Hodges hit .268, with 13 homers and 63 RBIs, while Kellogg was 5-7, with a 5.21 ERA.

Also faves on his list are RHP Erich Uelmen from Cal Poly, who was given a $382,300 bonus, Cubs RHP Jeremy Estrada, a Palm Desert high schooler given a $1 million and LHP Ricky Tyler Thomas of Fresno State, who signed for $175,500.

29. Rob Thomson, bench coach, Phillies (32).

The Yankees search for a new manager was described by one opposing GM as a search for a unicorn. ESPN analyst Aaron Boone, Giants bench coach Hensley Meulens, Dodgers 3B coach Chris Woodward, former Indians manager Eric Wedge, retired OF Carlos Beltran and Yankees bench coach Thomson were all interviewed for the job. We’re told that the choice was Oakland A’s manager Bob Melvin, before Boone was hired.

Now, most coaches move from one organization to another due to knowing someone (like John Gibbons and DeMarlo Hale roomed together during 1996 winter ball in Hawaii). With five World Series rings, Thomson was not out of work long. In fact, he accepted the job from Phillies manager Gabe Kapler and GM Matt Klentak before the Yankees settled on a manager. Klentak gave him an “out” clause if the Yanks wanted him to manage. He is the most experienced coach on the staff.

30. Maury Gostfrand, agent (33).

When FOXSports.com decided to get rid of the written word and go strictly with video, if you wanted to read Ken Rosenthal, you had to go to his Facebook page. It would be like the Dodgers telling Clayton Kershaw he was the new shortstop. Gostfrand found a soft landing spot for Rosenthal, who leads the league in information, on The Athletic, as well as breaking news on MLB Network.

Gostrand also represents Tom Verducci (Sports Illustrated, MLB Network, the best feature read in the business), former Blue Jay Kevin Millar (MLB Network’s Intentional Talk) and analyst Steve Phillips (TSN, Sirius Radio). An Expo fan, he grew up in the Chomedey area -- Home of Chenoy’s -- on Montreal’s West Island and moved to North Miami Beach. He recently merged his Vision Sports Group with The Montag Group. He also represents Hall of Famer Don Sutton, Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, BC), former ESPN wordsmith Jayson Stark, John Farrell and Jim Bowden of Sirius Radio and The Athletic.

31. Roger Rai, Rogers consultant (-).

Rai is a close friend of Edward Rogers, Rogers Communications boss of bosses going all the way back to their days at the Western University. And Rai has represented the Jays at owners meetings. He is a passionate ball fan and people tell us he knows the game.

So when it comes to having the Edward’s ear, he is the man. Rai is often at Yankee Stadium and during the oust-Paul Beeston stage he called Chicago White Sox president Kenny Williams to see if he was interested in Beeston’s job.

Someone appears to be lecturing Jonathan Hodgson (Calgary, Alta.) and Jays broadcaster Jerry Howarth (Etobicoke, Ont.) yet what he is actually saying is: "you know now that I think of it ,,, you are both right again ... sorry."

32. Jonathan Hodgson/Jerry Howarth (15).

Jays broadcaster Jerry Howarth, sent us a note after the 2016 top 100 list came out writing: “I would like to turn over all of my space on the list to my inspiration who has made you and I better and that is Jonathan Hodgson (Calgary, Alta.). The two of us are grateful to him and he would be grateful seeing his name on your list and his accomplishments as noted by you. Can we please do that together?”

Hodgson been an Okotoks Dawgs broadcaster and last year did the same for the Victoria HarbourCats, besides helping out on the recruiting end of the situation. Howarth, an Etobicoke resident became a Canadian citizen in April of 1994 and by our count, has worked more than 5,300 regular-season games since in 1981. The late Tom Cheek worked 4,306 consecutive games.

33. Vladimir Guerrero, No. 1 prospect, Jays (74).

Baseball America ranks No. 3 in the minor leagues and MLB.Pipeline has him fourth. Whether the Montreal-born Guerrero ever wears a Canada uniform in the WBC, he is most certain to play for Canada’s Team. Way back when Casey Janssen and Jose Bautista complained on Aug. 1, 2014 that the Jays did not add anyone at the deadline -- despite both Edward Rogers and Paul Beeston promising help was on the way if the Jays were in the hunt at the annual spring farewell diner in Dunedin. Rather than being in major-league parks looking for talent the Jays scouts were entertaining and working out Guerrero at Dunedin.

He is an above average hitter, with plus power and a plus arm. Splitting time between class-A Lansing and class-A Dunedin he hit .323 with 28 doubles, 13 homers, 76 RBIs and a .910 OPS. He received a $3.9 million bonus -- second highest in club history. Latin America scout Ismael Cruz, scouts Dana Brown, Perry Minasian, Andrew Tinnish and GM Alex Anthopoulos were all involved. He shared the Canadian Baseball Network Randall Echlin award with Tyler O’Neill.

34. Matt Stairs, hitting coach, Padres (45).

Stairs (Fredericton, NB) went from Phillies broadcaster to Phillies hitting coach in 2016. The young Phillies had a team batting average of .250 (tied for ninth with the New York Mets), were 12th in homers (174), OPS (.723) and runs scored (690). Philadelphia finished 42-47 over the final 89 games and manager Pete Mackanin was given an extension. Then, the season ended and Mackanin and Stairs were gone.

Stairs, who spent the 2010 season with the Padres -- where he hit six of his 265 homers in his 19-year career, which was second only to Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, BC) with 383 -- will be the hitting instructor for manager Andy Green.

35. Walt Burrows, scout, Twins (38).

For years Burrows was in charge of scouting Canada for the Major League Scouting Bureau. So, it was not a surprise that he knew the country better than most scouts. Well, now he works for the Twins and he still knows the country best.

Burrows (Brentwood Bay, BC) landed the top high school arm in 2017 drafting RHP Landon Leach (Pickering, Ont.) from the Toronto Mets. He was selected 37th overall and given a $1,846,100 bonus. Leach was 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA walking six and fanning 10 for the rookie-class Gulf Coast Twins.

36. Mike Soroka, Braves system (-).

If you are projecting things for Soroka he ... probably flies into Atlanta’s Hartsfield International and gets his own express train to baggage and probably gets his own car on the MARTA system to the park. After all, Atlanta sent Soroka to Double-A Mississippi for 2017, skipping the Class A Florida Fire Frogs after he spent the year before at Class A Rome. He was ranked No. 27 by Baseball America.

He was more than five years younger than the average age in the Southern League and opened with five scoreless and seven strikeouts against the Jackson Jumbo Shrimp. His ERA climbed to 3.45 after a May loss to the Birmingham Barons. But the Chris Reitsma pupil finished with a 2.75 mark, going 11-8 with 125 strikeouts in 153 2/3 innings. Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) pitched for the Calgary PBF Redbirds and coach Jim Lawson, earning a $1,974,700 bonus.

And the next Canuck on the horizon is Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) a grad of the Langley Blaze. His Blaze Dacks Scout Team are regular visitors to Jupiter each fall for the World Wood Bat tournament. And they make a spring trip to Arizona to play first and second-year pro players. The Langley Blaze will play the first Wayne Norton Memorial Game March 25 against Seattle Mariners minor leaguers at the Peoria Sports Complex.

38. Brett and Joe Siddall, A’s minor leaguer, Jays broadcaster (39).

A Windsor friend of mine who has been a Tigers fan since the days of Al Kaline, Norm Cash and Jake Wood, told me that Siddall had turned him into a Blue Jays fan. How ‘bout that! As Mel Allen used to say. That shows how much of a professional Jerry Howarth’s partner is. Joe is doing endorsements now for Premier Suites, a condo rental agency, and Moore’s Clothing.

Dr. Tamara Siddall and Joe’s son Brett was drafted in the 13th round in 2015 by Oakland scout Matt Higginson (Oakville, Ont.) In 2017, Brett was with the class-A Stockton Ports hitting .300 with 23 doubles, 21 homers, 68 RBIs and an .861 OPS in 117 games. A’s scouts say “They like Brent a lot as he seems to make the necessary adjustments at each level.”

39. Chris Reitsma, senior advisor amateur pitching, Orioles (49).

He was heavily involved in the selection of LHP D.L. Hall, No. 5 prospect in the Orioles system by Baseball America. Chosen in the first round (21st overall) in June, the Valdosta Ga. high schooler was given a $3 million bonus. The Calgary scout, otherwise known as the Big Prairie Dawg, was in on LHP Zac Lowther, second-round pick from Xavier University, who received $779,500 to sign.

And he was involved on third-round pick RHP Michael Baumann, a high schooler from Jacksonville, Fla., given $500,000. Hall, who played for coach Adam Stern, was selected in the second round (60th overall in North America) and signed for a $1.3 US million bonus. He also filled in O’s scouting director Gary Rajsich on Adam Hall (London, Ont.) and his makeup. Baltimore chose Hall in the second round giving him a $1.3 million bonus. He earned the Canadian Baseball Network’s Jim Ridley Memorial Award as scout of the year thereby kicking in an incentive clause.

40. Terry McKaig, director of baseball, UBC (35).

UBC will open its $5 million stadium in March, which sits alongside the training centre, which makes for a $8.9 million complex built almost all donor funded. The Thunderbirds are travelling to Japan in August to play and there will be a return trip in 2019 to Vancouver as part of an international initiative.

UBC is up to giving out $180,000 a year in scholarship money (all donor funded). In its first year in the PBL, the UBC Thunder 16U finished second at the final four. A 14U and 18U team will be added making for three Premier league out of UBC ... as well as a Jay Vee Thunderbirds starting in September. New recruits this year include RHP Garrett Hawkins and INF Ty Penner from Vauxhall Academy, RHP Declan Dutton, North Shore Twins, SS Cameron Sanderson, Great Lakes Canadians, OF Ben Mitchell Toronto Mets and OF Jayden Knight of the Langley Blaze.

41. Chris Mears pitching cross checker, Red Sox (34).

Mears is in charge of scouting amateur pitchers for GM Dave Dombrowksi. And Boston took mounds men with three of their first five selections: grabbing RHP Tanner Houck Missouri in the first round of the 2017 draft (24th over-all) and giving him a $2,614,500 bonus, fourth rounder RHP Jake Thompson of Oregon State given a $350,000 and fifth rounder RHP Alex Scherff a Colleyville (Tex.) Heritage High Schooler.

Houck is No. 3 on Baseball America’s top 10 list and Mike Shawaryn, a fifth rounder in 2016 from Maryland, given $637,500 is No. 8. Before his pitching-only days, Mears scouted No. 1 pick OF Andrew Benintendi, seventh overall in 2015 from the Arkansas Razorbacks, who received a $3.59 million bonus. In 2017, he hit .271 with 20 homers, 90 RBIs and a .776 OPS in 151 games.

42. Doug Melvin, senior advisor, Brewers (36).

Like Pat Gillick, Melvin is a senior advisor type, going back to his scouting roots. Melvin does a lot of assessing of players in Brewers system. The Brewers went from 73 wins in 2016 to 86 games in 2017, a game behind the Colorado Rockies for the second NL wild-card spot.

Melvin was in contention to replace Gord Ash as the Jays GM in 2001 but Toronto management was anti-Melvin, claiming he had not produced enough pitching when he ran the Texas Rangers and that he wanted a $90 million payroll. Instead, he went to the Brewers coming off $43 million team payroll, reaching postseason play twice.

Beeston is one of the two or three closest advisers to President and CEO Sam Kennedy. We’re told by our friends in Boston that there are very few things on the non-baseball side that David doesn’t have his hand in. He does a lot of big-picture thinking in addition to the daily stuff, and is probably the first person Sam turns to for crisis management.

Like his father, Paul, he attended Western University, while his grandfather was wise enough to attend Queen’s University and root-root-root for the Golden Gaels.

44. Fred Wray, agent (37).

Wray settled salary arbitration cases for RHP Garrett Richards and Matt Shoemaker’s with Anaheim. Richards, who will earn $7.3 million, made two starts coming off injury going 0-2 with a 2.28 ERA in six starts as the Angels opening day starter in 2016 struck out 27 in 27 2/3 innings. Shoemaker will earn $4.125 million after going 6-3 with a 4.52 ERA in 14 starts as he whiffer 69 in 77 2/3 innings.

The former Canadian Junior National team member, Wray (Calgary, Alta.) works for Independent Sports & Entertainment agency, which represents free agent 1B Logan Morrison. He also has Twins C Jason Castro in year two of a three-year, $24.5M million deal and C Mitch Garver, a ninth rounder in 2013 from the University of New Mexico made his debut hitting .196 with a double, three triples, three RBIs and an .636 OPS.

45. Allan Simpson, Canadian Hall of Fame (30).

Already elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Simpson (Kelowna, BC) took over for the late Randy Echlin guiding the selection committee. His 16-man panel elected former Jay RHP Roy Halladay, ex-Montreal Expos slugger Vladimir Guerrero, along with former Baseball Canada president Ray Carter (Nanaimo, BC) and legendary ump Doug Hudlin (Victoria, BC) last June.

Simpson founded Baseball America, was a big part of Perfect Game’s draft coverage and wrote a book entitled Baseball America’s Ultimate Draft Book: The Most Comprehensive Book Ever Published on the Draft: 1965-2016. Inside are the biggest hits and misses in draft history and is an excellent reference book, which generated near-universal acclaim as the best book on the draft ever published. He still works for Perfect Game and is writing a writing a book on the Alaska Goldpanners, probably the most successful summer college team ever, especially when put in the context of operating in Fairbanks, Alaska.

46. Dave McKay, coach, Diamondbacks (39).

When McKay coaches first, as he does for the Diamondbacks, he does more than say “Turn left.” Besides looking after the Diamondbacks outfield he teaches base running. In his fifth season with the Diamondbacks and 34th on a big-league staff, Arizona was fourth in the majors with a 77.4% success rate (103-for-133), behind the Yankees, the Indians and the Nationals. A.J. Pollock had 20 steals, while Paul Goldschmidt had 18, Gregor Blanco 15 and Chris Owings 12.

McKay served on Tony La Russa’s staff for 27 straight seasons (1984-2011), including 16 with the A’s (1989-95) and Cardinals (1996-2011), after beginning coaching career as a player-coach in Oakland system in 1983. La Russa ran the Diamondbacks in 2015-16. McKay coached on three World Series championship clubs: 1989 A’s and 2006 and 2011 Cardinals.

47. Bill Byckowski, scout, Reds (56).

There was a time when Byckowski (Georgetown, Ont.) covered Canada for the Jays. His coverage and his responsibilities grew as he joined former Jays scouting director Chris Buckley with the Reds. Besides grabbing some of top Canucks: Miles Gordon (Oakville, Ont.), Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) and Alex Webb (Surrey, BC), he played a big role at crunch time -- both in the field and in the Reds war room -- when it came time to sign the draft choices to big-ticket signing bonuses.

Bykowski was also in on the likes of SS Jeter Downs (a Miami Gardens, Fla. compensation pick, $1,822,500 million bonus), OF Stuart Fairchild (second rounder in 2017, Wake Forest $1,800,300), Chris Okey (second rounder from Clemson in 2016, $2 million), RHP Jimmy Herget (sixth round in 2015, South Florida, $276,600), RHP Ben Lively (fourth round, 2013 from University of Central Florida, $350,000), now with the Phillies. This month he was named one of the top 100 players in the 100-year history of the Intercounty League.

RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.)

48. Cal and Paul Quantrill, Padres, Blue Jays (59).

Cal, who turns 23 next month, was ranked No. 52 on Baseball America’s list of top 2017 minor-league prospects. He is listed No. 52 on Baseball America’s top 100. Meanwhile, James E. Clark, of the East Village Times, which covers the Padres from A-to-Z, has Quantrill ranked as San Diego’s third best prospect. Quantrill split time at double-A San Antonio and class-A Lake Elisnore going 7-10 with a 3.80 ERA. In 116 innings he walked 40 and struck out 110. Quantrill pitched for the Ontario Terriers and coach Scott VandeValk and then was given a $3,963,045 million bonus.

Paul, 49, a member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys whose name has been placed on the Baseball Canada Wall of Excellence, is a special assistant. Like Pat Hentgen, Quantrill works with minor leaguers and is consulted regularly. He also was his son’s pitching coach with the Terriers.

49. Gord Ash, VP baseball project, Brewers (43).

This season was almost like 1995 or 2001 inside the Rogers Centre. Living in Toronto now, Ash was a regular in the press box, scouting games more so than some current Jays executives. This year Ash worked mostly on developing a new Brewers academy in the Dominican. It will be located north east of the Santo Domingo airport, near a small town called Guerra. Manuel Vargas, one of the best young baseball executives in the Dominican, is the complex administrator. The new site will open in early 2020.

Ash is also part of TSN’s team of analysts and was excellent commenting during the Roy Halladay tragedy. It was manager Buck Martinez, pitching coach Mark Connor and Ash who decided after a bad spring to send Halladay all the way back to Dunedin. He also represented the Brewers in studio at the draft calling the names of OF Tristen Lutz a high schooler from Arlington, Tex. given a $2,352,000 signing bonus and second-round pick RHP Caden Lemons of Vestavia Hills (Ala.) signed for $1,450,000.

50. Jamie Lehman, West Coast cross checker, Jays (55).

The Blue Jays promoted Lehhman (Brampton, Ont.) from scouting Canada and New York state for the last year to a cross checker in fertile California. Besides California, he is in charge of 13 states supervising six area scouts covering Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Arkansas and Hawaii.

Last year, he drafted and signed Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) for $40,000 in the 20th round. Later he chose speedy OF Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.), who was not going to bail on a Vanderbilt scholarship when selected in the 25th round. So, Lehman gets the bump for his promotion after being in charge of Canada for eight years.

The Jays ranked 11th when you add six-figure signing bonuses handed out to Canadians since 1991. The Pittsburgh Pirates are No. 1 handing out $6,905,000 to the likes of Jameson Taillon, Austin Shields, Eric Wood and Tom Boleska. Next come the Mariners ($5,557,500), Padres ($5,327,045), Orioles ($5,291,800), Braves ($3,787,700), Brewers, Twins ($3,10,6500), Reds ($3,076,000), Marlins ($2,652,000), Cubs ($2,315,900) and the Blue Jays ($2,202,500). Tough to blame Bobby Prentice, Bill Byckowksi, Kevin Briand or Lehman when they do not have final say. The cross checkers from south of the border do.

51. Tyler O’Neill, Cards prospect (50).

When people ask “Who is the next Canadian to make an impact in the majors among Canadian hitters?” my answer is always O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC). He won the Honourable Mr. Justice Randall Echlin Memorial Award as the Canadian Baseball Network’s minor league hitter of the year for a third straight year. Although this year he shared honours with Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.).

Mariners’ Jerry DiPoto made a rare deal sending O’Neill to the Cards for former No. 1 pick (19th over-all) from Gonzaga, Marco Gonzales, in the 2013. With triple-A Tacoma and Memphis, he hit .246 with 26 doubles, three triples, 31 homers, 95 RBIs and an .820 OPS. He spent the first 93 games with Tacoma and then was re-united him with manager Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.), who coached third on the Pan Am team. The Cards have dealt three OFs this offseason: Randal Grichuk to the Jays, Magneuris Sierra to Miami and Stephen Piscotty to Oakland.

52. Dr. Jason Smith, Blue Jays physician (42).

Doesn’t matter whether it is C Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) or SS Troy Tulowitzki, who each earned $20 million in 2017 or a minor bantam pitcher, the good doctor has time for both. Sometimes back to back. He has stepped into Dr. Ron Taylor’s shoes. From tending to players at the Rogers Centre, to seeing grade 11 students or college players who need an assessment in a hurry, Dr. Smith (Calgary, Alta.) gets them on the road back.

He was a fourth-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 1993, from Princeton where he played 103 games in four years. He played 25 games for the Saint John Flames during the 1996-97 AHL season before concussions ended his career. He trained under Dr. James Andrews and learned how to perform Tommy John elbow surgery. Smith is part of the Jays medical team with Drs. John Theodoropoulos, Irv Feferman, Noah Forman, Allan Gross, Steven Mirabello, Glenn Copeland, James Fischer, Pat Graham, Mark Scappaticci, Mike Prebeg, Ted Farrar, Bernie Gosevitz and Dr. Ron Taylor: physician emeritus.

53. Jake Kerr and Jeff Mooney, co-owners Vancouver Canadians (43).

They didn’t have a highlight year like when they took turns zinging Edward Rogers and defending Paul Beeston, hanging to the president title by his finger nails, when the Jays winter caravan came to town in 2016. The Canadians drew 229,527 fans in 38 home dates at Nat Bailey Stadium for an average of 6,303 -- up from 6,117 in 2016 to lead the class-A Northwest loop. The Spokane Indians were second with an average of 5,315.

The Canadians received the Ballpark Digest Continued Excellence Award, winning a fourth NWL title and setting an attendance record. Kerr (Vancouver, BC) co-owns the team with A&W’s Mooney (Regina, Sask.) who grew up in Winnipeg as a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. No matter whether the Bombers or the Riders won, one faction teased him. They are with the Jays for four more years.

54. Shiraz Rehman, assistant GM, Cubs (41).

Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Addison Russell and Kris Bryant received their 2016 World Series rings on April 10 before the home opener against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Rehman received his about the same time. Born on Montreal’s West Island and raised in New York, he provides statistical information to support trade and player evaluation, as well as aiding in salary arbitration and managing research.

While the Cubs fell short in 2017, his McGill University Redman won their fourth consecutive Canadian Collegiate Baseball Association championship, beating Carleton 10-1 at Fredericton. A starting infielder for four years and captain for two he wrote the troops a letter to be read before the final game. After McGill with a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting, he earned an MBA from Columbia Business School. He was an intern with the Red Sox, joined the Diamondbacks and moved to the Cubs after the 2011 season.

55. Justin Morneau, special assistant, Twins (48).

Morneau bounced out to SS Brandon Crawford for the final out of the WBC, as Team USA blanked Canada 8-0 before 22,303 fans at Marlins Park in Miami in March of 2017. Who knew it would be the final at-bat of his career. He made his major-league debut with the Twins June 10, 2003 against the Rockies. Walker sent a bat over to the Twins clubhouse, and inscribed it, “Welcome to the show, make Canada proud.”

Morneau did that. An MVP, a four-time all-star and winner of the most memorable home derby ever at Yankee Stadium, Morneau saw his career cut short due to a fluke play at second base. He made a routine slide into second like he had done 1,000s of time. Jays shortstop John McDonald leapt in the air and threw to first. But his knee accidently clipped Morneau giving him a concussion. Morneau will serve as one of the in-studio replacements for Gregg Zaun on Sportsnet, even though he has accepted a job as a special assistant with Minnesota. He joins former Twins Michael Cuddyer, Torii Hunter and LaTroy Hawkins.

56. Blake Corosky, True Gravity, agent (62).

How many Toronto agents have represented a first rounder? Well, Crosky has. He looked after Kentucky 1B Evan White of Gahanna, Ohio. Selected 17th overall in 2017, White was given a $3.25 million bonus by the Mariners. The largest bonus for a Corosky client before White? INF Chris Bisson (Ottawa, Ont.) of the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians, a fourth rounder drafted by the Padres in 2011 who was given $235,000.

True Gravity also looks after Drew Steckenrider of Atlanta, drafted by the Marlins in the eighth round in 2010 from Tennessee, who pitched in 37 games for the Marlins; Kyle McGrath, of Louisville, a 36th rounder 2014, who pitched 17 games with the Padres; Lousiville’s Chris Smith, who pitched in four games with the Jays and is headed to big-league camp with the Nationals. He worked out a deal so LHP Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) could join the Orix Blue Wave, LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) in the Rockies system; Conor Lillis-White (Etobicoke, Ont.) who went to Arizona Fall League with the Angels and TV’s Sid Seixeiro.

Corosky’s stable has come a long way since his first client INF David Detienne (Halifax, NS), who played seven years in the Dodgers system, after being selected in the 25th round in 2001.

57. Mike McRae, assistant coach, Virginia Commonwealth (40).

McRae had plenty of offers -- from the Toronto Blue Jays, Virginia Tech, Seton Hall, Longwood and Army at West Point -- to leave Canisius over the years. After the 2017 season, he left for VCU. McRae spent 14 seasons as head coach of the Golden Griffins, compiling a record of 440-358 in his 14 seasons at Canisius, including a 333-222 in the last eight seasons that includes three MAAC regular-season titles.

It is not easy writing about a team your employers own. Friends have told me it is not so much censorship from the ivory tower, but self-censorship, part of human nature. Davidi does an excellent job hitting the ball down the middle of the fairway. After the Jays lost Edwin Encarnacion with their take-it, or leave-it approach, he pointed out how the Dodgers allowed free agents Kenley Jansen, Justin Turner and Rich Hill to waltz into free agency wonderland and all returned. Jansen (five-year, $80 million), Turner (four years for $64 million) and Hill (three-year, $48 million) all returned. He asked why did the Jays not take that approach.

As well as writing for Sportsnet, he does TV hits. He has worked for Sportsnet since 2011 after 10 years working for Canadian Press, where his game stories were read by more writers than anyone else. He manages in his free time to teach journalism at Centennial College.

59. Tom Tango, MLB Advanced Media, MLB (65)

You might have noticed Statcast, brought to you by Amazon Web Services on MLB.Network. Well, the man who created metrics like barrels, catch probability, exit velocity (speed off the bat) and sprint speed to describe player performance is Canadian. He uses a nom de plume rather than his real name and is known as TangoTiger on-line. The Jays’ leader in barrels -- the ideal combination of exit velocity (95 mph or harder) -- last year was Justin Smoak with 59, sixth highest barrel total in 2017. Josh Donaldson and Kendrys Morales were for second on the Jays with 43 each.

Jose Bautista actually made the only five-star catch of any Jays player, while Kevin Pillar led with four, four-star plays. Pillar was the sixth-best fielder at +15 outs above average in 2016, but last year was -2 OAA, while the Jays as an outfield unit ranked as worst at -22 OAA in 2017. Overall exit velocity includes all types of contact and of the 11 Jays with 200 balls in play, Kendry Morales had 46.3% hard-hit rate, ranked 12th-best. Richard Urena had the best sprint speed of 28.6 feet per second. Urena, Pilar, Ezequiel Carrera, Michael Saunders, Devon Travis, and Darwin Barney came in above league average in sprint speed in 2017.

Braves 1B Freddiie Freeman. Photo: Amanda Fewer.

60. Freddie Freeman, Braves (-).

There were few moments to remember from the WBC -- besides RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) on the mound -- than the arrival of Freeman. Earlier attempts were made by the Freeman camp to join Team Canada, but with former MVPs Joey Votto and Justin Morneau there was not any room at the inn until last March. After “O Canada” was played before an exhibition game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin Freeman looked to the skies.

Freeman wanted to play in memory of his late mother Rosemary, who was born in Oshawa, grew up in Peterborough and then her family moved to Windsor, which is where his father was born. Freeeman was born in Fountain Valley, Calif. WBC eligibility rules allow players to play for countries of their parent’s birth. Freeman’s father, also named Fred, was born in Windsor. Rosemary passed away when he was 10 years old of melanoma skin cancer. Freeman said he had extra motivation, “Because I know she’s up there watching and I want to make her proud.”

61. Adnan Virk, Baseball Tonight, ESPN (51).

No one working south of the border lets viewer know where he’s from more than Virk. He lets everyone know he’s from Canada, just as Harold Reynolds (Seattle Mariners, Oregon State) and Chris Rose (Cleveland) tells people who they rooting for ... with Virk it is Canada. Although watch out if anyone who attended Ernestown Secondary School (outside Kingston, Ont.) and played for the Eagles shows up.

Am unsure what Virk’s nickname is but an acquaintance at ESPN told me once it could be “Johnny One Take.” There is seldom if ever the need to try it again. He has often been a guest host on Mike & Mike. After attending Ryerson, he worked for 12 years in Toronto (The Score, Sportscentre at TSN, Bollywood Boulevard, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment) before heading to Bristol, Conn. in 2010. He also had a podcast called Cinephile: The Adnan Virk Movie Podcast.

62. Phil Lind, Vice Chairman, Rogers Communications (58).

He may get extra points because every time I see him it is like looking at my father (except Phil has more hair). But Lind is a behind the scenes rainmaker going back to the days of Ted Rogers when Bringer of Rain Josh Donaldson was at Auburn. The man has put out more enough brush fires to be a volunteer fireman in California.

He convinced the late Ted Rogers to purchase the Jays, obtained the broadcasting license from the CRTC for the MLB Network and still has power on The Campus. And to answer a question I am asked often: “No, Phil Lind is not Adam Lind’s father.”

63. Josh and Noah Naylor, Padres, Ontario Blue Jays (67).

Josh has a future. The Padres first base prospect singled in the first run for the World team in its 7-6 loss to the U.S. in the Futures Game in Miami. The left-handed-hitting Naylor is a combined 3-for-4 with two RBIs in Futures Game after appearing in the 2016 game at Petco Park in San Diego. James E. Clark, of the East Village Times, who covers the Padres, has him ranked San Diego’s ninth best prospect. At the Arizona League Fall Stars game, he tripled to open the second showing an exit velocity of 107.5 mph, reaching a top sprint speed of 27.7 feet/second going home to third in 12.7 seconds.

Noah has a future. Like his brother was, he is with the Ontario Blue Jays and while Josh went 12th overall, Noah is projected to be a first rounder, either behind the plate or at third base. He is more athletic than his brother, but does not have the same power. He is 22nd on Baseball America’s top 100 High school list, 2017), 47th on MLB Pipeline top 50 combined list of high schoolers and collegians and 48th on Perfect Game’s top 150 combined list.

64. Scott Thorman, manager, Lexington (69).

Thorman, is entering his second year as manager at Lexington, after managing at Rookie-class Burlington from 2015–16. OF Khalil Lee, rated the No. 2 prospect in the Royals system by Baseball America, played for Lexington last year and hit .237 with 24 doubles, six triples, 17 homers, 61 RBIs and a .774 OPS in 121 games. In his first three seasons Thorman’s teams have a combined 135-138 record.

Thorman was a former No. 1 pick of the Braves in 2000, was signed by Dayton Moore, now the Royals GM and his bench coach is former Brave INF Glenn Hubbard. You know how far this young man has come and what is reputation is when you are the winter meetings in Orlando in December and Hall of Famer George Brett walks up and asks, “So, heard from my buddy Scotty Thorman lately? What a great kid!”

65. Jacques Doucet, broadcaster (57).

Used to be each year through fan voting the top 10 announcers would be picked. Doucet always did well when it came clicks on Facebook. Then, former Ford C. Frick winners would vote for a winner (like Tom Cheek in 2012). In 2016 a change in the rules saw a new election cycle established, The National Voices Era (broadcasters whose contributions were realized on a national level) saw Bob Costas elected and he will be honoured in July.

Frick voting was split into three groups: Broadcasting Beginnings (early team voices and pioneers of broadcasting) and Current Major League Markets in 2017. with the 2019 Frick Award. Doucet was categorized among Current Markets (team-specific announcers) group, which has its next turn in the rotation in 2020. He was a finalist on the 2017 ballot. The Expos French-language broadcaster from 1972-2004, worked 81 Jays games in 2017.

66. Tristan Pompey, Kentucky outfielder (-).

Could Pompey, one of the best hitters in the best college loops last year, go in the first round? As J.P. Ricciardi said at draft time: take the best hitter (Aaron Hill) from the best league (SEC). He was ranked 14th on Baseball America’s top 100 college prospects in December and 29th on MLB Pipline’s top 50.

Pompey hit .361 with 18 doubles, 10 homers, 45 RBIs, 1.005 OPS, 9-for-13 stealing bases ... Led the Southeastern Conference with a .410 batting average, while also tallying the most hits and finishing in the top three in runs, on-base percentage, and total bases. He now ranks third on UK’s single-season hits list with 96, third in runs with 70 and fifth in walks with 46.

67. Joe Natale, President and CEO Rogers Communications (-).

Departed Guy Lawrence’s plane had not been at the Heathrow gate for long and the Globe & Mail had accurately predicted that Natale, late of Telus Communications, would be next. And the Globe’s next step was that the Blue Jays might be soon be for sale. Bell Media owns 28% interest in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which includes the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Argos, Toronto FC as well as farm teams, while Rogers owns 37.5%.

The Telus business model does not include owning sports franchises or media assets, although Edmonton is home to Telus Field. Experts say Natale’s devotion to customer, and customer service has been a success, showing in wireless growth. It has been said Natale has a perceived willingness to shift focus from areas like Vice and the Jays, given his background at Telus.

68. Murray Cook, scout, Tigers (60).

One spring, we were behind home plate an hour before Greg Hamilton’s Canadian Junior National Team was getting ready to play a team from Puerto Rico in St. Pete’s. As first pitch neared Cook shook hands and said his farewell and good byes, which I thought was real strange. Why come to the game if you are only going to watch pregame infield/outfield. About seven innings later I headed down the left field line to go to the washroom. There on a scorching day seated under a tree -- the only shade from which you could see the diamond -- was Cook, when other scouts had bolted to their next game.

The Tigers drafted two Canucks last June: former Oakville Royals’ RHP Kyle Thomas (Alliston, Ont.), who signed and Rhys Cratty (Surrey, BC) who went to school. Cook had something to do with the class-A West Michigan Whitecaps opening the season with three Canucks in the starting lineup: OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) from Mississippi State an eighth rounder, SS Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) from Virginia a round later in 2016, plus Cole Bauml (Humboldt, Sask), in the 10th in 2015. Cook was at the Tigers draft table at MLB Network headquarters in Secaucus, N.J.

Greg Brons wins anothher argument while coaching Saskatchewan.

69. Greg Brons, Going Yard facility (-).

In 2011, Saskatchewan Sport initiated a high performance planning initiative as Dr. Peter Davis pushed Brons to come up with a comprehensive plan. Players did not have the daily training environment of Alberta academies like Vauxhall or Okotoks. So academies were established: Brons runs Going Yard in Saskatoon, while Rob Cherepuschak and Justin Eiswirth run the Martin Academy in Regina. Danny Demchenko fronted the money behind Going Yard indoor centre. Kids can see Andrew Albers throow a bullpen or Cole Bauml, at class-A West Michigan take batting practice.

In the future Saskatoon will have a 90,000 square foot baseball/softball facility at Gordie Howe Complex that will rival Okotoks. Jesse Renneberg expanded to fall ball in Saskatoon, which includes a November trip to Phoenix. In the past four years Team Saskatchewan has been in a medal game - fourth place in 2014, silver in 2015, and gold in 2016 and 2017. The peewee and bantam teams are provincial teams. Former college players Nolan Bracken and Chris Untereiner coach along with James Avery, a former minor leaguer, who pitched in the Olympics in Beijing.

70. Charles Bronfman, former Expo owner ().

The reason you are able to watch Your Blue Jays is because Bronfman was an initial success with the Montreal Expos at Jarry Park and then Olympic Stadium. One of Canada’s most accomplished businessman and philanthropists, he flew in from New York to speak at a luncheon for Sarnia-Lambton Business Week in October at the Best Western Guildwood Inn. He was heir to the Seagram empire and was majority owner of the Montreal Expos.

He spoke with Howard Green, co-author of Bronfman’s memoir Distilled: A Memoir of Family, Seagram, Baseball and Philanthropy. Bronfman discussed his time at Seagram’s – including the $35-billion sale of Seagram’s to Viviendi and pro sports, as well as passion for supporting charitable organizations such as Historica Canada and Birthright Israel. Now if he ever decided to change his mind and get back into baseball ...

71. Hazel Mae, Sportsnet (-).

Mae was in demand this postseason. Besides covering the New York Yankees-Cleveland Indians ALCS series for Sportsnet, TBS asked her bosses if she could do double duty. Sportsnet gave the OK to work for TBS, and in return, TBS allowed her to do Sportsnet hits in between her TBS duties. So, Mae had two different camera guys, two different mics and switched back and forth. Not once did she throw back to the wrong studio.

Her 1-on-1 sit downs were must-see TV: Jose Bautista after he re-signed, Edwin Encarnacion before his first game at Roger Centre, and, we believe. Marcus Stroman’s only media sit down of the season. Stroman was upset because he thought he was being misrepresented by the media. Sportsnet’s Gregg Zaun had said Stroman was too short to be a starter.

It really does not matter what minor-league outpost you mention. It could be Buffalo, Manchester, NH, Dunedin, Lansing, Mich. Bluefield, WV or Vancouver. If Wilson walks into any of the front offices or club houses it is like Pat Gillick or Robbie Alomar waltzed into the park on a surprise visit. I’ve seen it before (in all but Bluefield, but have met the owners at the Rogers Centre and they rave about the minor-league administrator.)

And why not? You would have to go back to the old combination in the 1990s of Syracuse-Knoxville-Dunedin-Hagerstown-St. Catharines-Medicine Hat to find a time when the Jays had a better relationship with their minor-league system. They own Dunedin and used to own St. Catharines. The Braves are the only club which owns the majority of their affiliates going back to executive Paul Snyder’s days. The reasoning? “Zero complaints when we promote someone,” Snyder used to say. Wilson is a former Howard Starkman Award winner which goes to the employee who “best exemplifies the values of integrity, innovation, accountability, team work and a passion for winning.”

73. Claude Pelletier, scout, Mets. (86)

The Mets drafted and signed one Canadian in the June draft: OF Raphael Gladu (Trois-Rivieres, Que.) in the 16th round from Louisiana Tech University, who was given a $10,000 bonus. We doubt Pelletier was in Louisiana much to see Gladu play, but he had probably seen the player since he was 14. He knows his province. Gladu hit .269, with two homers and 14 RBIs at Rookie class Kingsport Mets. LHP Kurtis Horne (Sooke, BC) is also in the Mets system.

Former Jays scout Marc Tramuta, now the Mets scouting director, sends out a mass email every January to his staff. In the email is a link to the annual Canadian Baseball Network’s Top 100 Influential Canadians in Baseball. Last year was the first we’d heard of it. Tramuta instructs his troops: “We need to get some Canadians to move Claude Pelletier higher on the top 100 list.” He also represented the club at the draft.

74. William Humber, historian (78).

Bill Phillips (St. John, NB) of the 1879 Cleveland Blues was the first Canadian major leaguer. Or so we read. Then it was discovered that Edward (The Only) Nolan (Pownal, PEI) was the top man the year before with the Indianapolis Blues. Then Tom Smith (Guelph, Ont.) of the Brooklyn Athletics had the top spot. Well, we now know that Bob Addy (Port Hope, Ont) of the 1871 Rockford Forest Citys was The first. How do we know? Because Humber (Bowmanville, Ont.) tells us so. Why the inconsistency before? Well, records were poorly kept in those days. Sometimes a city of residence was mistaken for a place of birth and we’re told the clubs did not want jobs going to non-Americans.

Humber is writing a book, his 12th, on Addy, who played six years, two with the Philadelphia Whites, Boston Red Stockings, Hartford Dark Blues, Chicago White Stockings and Cincinnati Reds. He also managed the Whites and later the Reds. The director of Eco Seneca Initiatives at Seneca College holds a spring training for fans class, his 40th annual, his last. He should be booked as the first guest next January for he is a captivating speaker and people will get the chance to hear him when this summer in St. Marys when he is the sole Canadian inducted into St. Marys.

75. Scott Moore, president, Sportsnet, (64).

The reason you had the chance to watch goings on from the winter meetings in Orlando was because Moore sent the Sportsnet team south. Moore’s travelling squad _ Shi Davidi, Hazel Mae, Ben Nicholson-Smith, Jamie Campbell, Mike Wilner and Jeff Blair _ to give daily coverage. Sportsnet did skip covering some September trips with the team out of the race.

Moore has been president of Sportsnet for Rogers Media Inc. since January 2014 and not once has a Rogers executive walked into the dugout during the game like what transpired during the John Farrell Era in the midst of a lopsided loss to the Red Sox. “John, how is it going?” A coach said Farrell replied “Not so good, we’re getting stomped 7-1. You know there is a game going on, right?” Another coach recalled saying about the Rogers official “talk about a lack of court awareness.”

76. Adam Stern, Great Lake Canadians (77).

The top high school position player last June came from Stern’s program. INF Adam Hall (London, Ont.) was chosen in the second round (60th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles, who gave him a $1.3 million signing bonus. And the top high school pitcher this June is likely to be RHP Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.) of the Great Lake Canadians. He has committed to Mississippi State. INF Kyle Maves (Burlington, Ont.) is off to Quinnipiac University, while C-INF Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) has signed to attend Xavier, OF Matt Jenkins (Toronto, Ont.) to Harvard and INF Brian Zapp (Waterloo, Ont.) to Miami-Ohio.

Canadians graduate OF Miles Gordon (Oakville, Ont.) hit .319, with eight homers and 37 RBIs for Rookie Class Billings Mustangs in the Reds system. Hall injured an oblique muscle after only two games with the Rookie Class Gulf Coast Orioles.

77. Alex Agostino, scout, Phillies (68).

His 17th round pick from 2011, Jesen Dygestile-Therrien (Cap-Rouge, Que.) sailed through the Phillies minor-league system (2-1, 1.41 ERA in 39 games, nine walks, 65 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings at double-A Reading and triple-A Lehigh Valley) to the majors. But with the Phillies he allowed 31 base runners in 18 1/3 innings finishing with an 8.35 ERA. He became a free agent and quickly signed with the Dodgers.

LHP Nick Fanti, a 31st rounder in 2015 draft from Smithtown threw two no-hitters for class-A Lakewood and was also a South Atlantic League all star starter, while 6-foot-10 LHP Kyle Young, a 22-round from Oyster Bay, NY in 2016 draft had an all-star year for manager Pat Borders at class-A Williamsport. Young was 7-2 with a 2.77 ERA in 13 starts striking out 72 and walking 15 in 65 innings. And in 2017 he drafted 33th rounder 6-foot-6 RHP Ben Brown. OF Ben Pelletier (Varennes Que.), drafted by Agostino, led the organization in batting average hitting .333 season for Rookie Class Gulf Coast Phillies and shared honours as top Canuck with A’s Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.) Rookie Class AZL A’s.

RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC) had his first year in the majors making 26 starts, going 8-10, with a 6.02 ERA, walking 57 and fanning 140 in 133 innings. The former boss of Baseball Quebec was smiling as a Quebec player -- OF Christopher Acosta-Tapia (Laval, Que.) earned Canadian Baseball Network College Player of the Year honours. OF Jonathan Lacroix (Montreal, Que.) Seminole State Trojans and Acosta-Tapia also earned First Team all-Canadian college honors. And IF Edouard Julien (Quebec City, Que.) went to Auburn.

78. Rick Johnston, coach, Ontario Terriers (-).

A while back at a clinic/coaches convention in Langley, BC, I walked into the second hospitality room to see former Dodgers great Reggie Smith put his arm around Johnston and say, “Any time you want to come to my place and teach hitting for a couple of weeks, you have a standing invitation, you know your stuff.” I looked around as all the California High School and US College coaches in the room waiting for the same invite (“and you too.”) ... which never came.

Edwin Encarnacion filmed a segment for his charity on a fundraising day at The Baseball Zone. Ryan Armstrong and Johnston worked with the young players. As he left Encarnacion said “You guys should come to the Dominican Republic and open a place like this.” Devon White brought in a young player recently to work with Johnston, a coach with the Canadian Junior National Team, where he had starred himself as a young un. Co-owners Nicole and Mike Tevlin picked up the tab last for Greg O’Halloran’s 16U Terriers team. This month he was named one of the top 100 players in the 100-year history of the Intercounty League.

79. Jason Dickson, president, Baseball Canada (71).

Dickson (Miramichi, NB) reached the top as a pitcher, going from the 1991 gold-medal winning Canuck team at the World Juniors to pitching four seasons with the Angels, gaining an all-star berth and pitching for Canada at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Dickson became the 11th president in Baseball Canada’s 53-year history taking over for Ray Carter. Dickson had a busy first year attending the WBC in Miami, Canada Games in Winnipeg, U-18 WC in Thunder Bay and the WBSC Annual Meeting in Botswana. Director general Jim Baba was also in Botswana.

80. Dr. Marc Philippon, M.D. (70).

Philippon is one of the world’s leading orthopedic surgeons, after earning his medical degree on an academic scholarship from McMaster in Hamilton. He is a partner at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Col. As well his efforts go into the Steadman Philippon Research Clinic. A soccer and tennis player at the NCAA level, he completed his residency at the University of Miami at Jackson Memorial and worked in Fort Lauderdale.

There are two schools of thought on whether wins matter for starting pitchers. Well, one thing the clubhouse attendant to the man atop the ivory tower will agree upon: revenue matters. In three years on the job Ditmars have roughly tripled the Jays revenue in corporate partnerships.

A graduate of the University of Windsor, Ditmars previously worked at EMI Music Canada and Labatt Breweries of Canada before joining the Jays. With the team, Ditmars has been tasked with the challenging, yet exciting role of overseeing every one of the team’s corporate partnerships all the way through from idea creation to execution. As they say in the board rooms he “brings a lot to the table.”

82. Les McTavish coach, Vauxhall Academy (82).

The Vauxhall Jets program produced LHP J.P. Stevenson (New Glasgow, PEI) of the Canisius Golden Griffs, elected to the Canadian Baseball Network’s All-Canadian 2017 First Team, while SS Nolan Rattai (Medicine Hat, Alta.) of the Midland Chaparrals earned Second Team honours. Other players McTavish coached in school last season: Nolan Bumstead (Calgary, Alta.) Cal State Northridge, who earned student athlete of the year, LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, Man.) and INF-OF Chris Thibideau( Dartmouth, N.S.) North Florida.

And on the way are LHP Wesley Moore (Surrey, BC) C Victor Cerny (Winnipeg) and INF-OF Damiano Palmegiani (Surrey, BC) and LHP Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.) who is headed to Purdue. McTavish also scouts for the Mariners.

83. Shawn Travers, coach, Ontario Blue Jays (79).

Travers did not have the top high school player from Canada last June. However, his organization will likely have the top high schooler Noah Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) following in the footsteps of his brother Josh. Travers spoke at the 74th annual American Baseball Coaches Association convention in Indianapolis which drew more than 6,000 coaches. His moved to the middle of the Expo Stage in the exhibit area to speak on his topic was “Developing middle infielders.”

Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.) was drafted in the 25th round by the Toronto Blue Jays electing to attend Vanderbilt. RHP Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) was the third Canuck pick chosen over-all in the seventh by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who gave him a $147,500 bonus. Besides Travers, other coaches in the 10-team organization include Mike Siena, Joe Ellison, Kyle DeGrace, Dino Roumel and Mike Steed, whose 17U team won the V Tool 412 Series Tournament in Fayetteville, Ark. and Tulsa, OK. The 16U team lost in the semi-finals at the Mickey Mantle World Series in Connecticut.

84. Denny Berni, coach, Pro Teach (95).

Etobicoke Rangers grad Connor Lillis-White (Toronto, Ont.), a California Angels draftee was one of a handful of Canadians to be invited to the Arizona Fall League. The 6-foot-4 lefty spent last season between double-A Mobile and class-A Inland Empire. He was 5-4 with a 3.90 ERA in 39 games, all but one outing a bullpen appearance. He walked 37 and fanned 81 in 67 innings at the two stops. 3B Nicholas Follett earned All-Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Honorable Mention after hitting .293 with 10 doubles, 17 RBIs and a .734 OPS in 40 games for the College of Desert Roadrunners, Cameron Dyck (Oakville, Ont.) signed to attend Niagara University; Cameron Deasy to Minot State, Brian McKenna College of the Desert. Chris Wysloblocki was clocked in the 90s at Okanagan College.

Berni runs a busy indoor facility in Etobicoke, which has students from Hollycrest Middle School there week days. It’s the same facility Joey Votto spent hours and hours hitting as a teenager and the same holds true in the off season. When not instructing Berni coaches the Rangers 18U and helps out with other Rangers teams. In his spare time runs the Humber College Hawks.

85. Adam Stephens and Scott Crawford, Canadian Hall of Fame (92).

When St. Marys council voted to reject a request for a funding scenario aimed at constructing a new facility to replace the current museum a year ago the future did not look good for the St. Marys nine that day. Stephens (Stratford, Ont.) chairman of the board and Crawford (Georgetown, Ont.), director of operations, took the setback in stride. They moved forward with expansion which should be completed by March.

Marklevitz Architects Inc. (Stratford, Ont.), BaAM Productions (Toronto, Ont.) and Elgin Contracting & Restoration Ltd. (Thomas, Ont.) are developing a 2,500-square-foot expansion and renovation to the inside of the existing structure. This project is made possible by a number of generous private donations and funding through the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program. The project will create a secure archive facility and resource library for the Hall’s extensive collection of over 6,000 books and magazines and more than 10,000 artifacts and papers.

86. Matt Higginson, scout, A’s (84).

We’re not sure if there were champagne corks popped in the fourth inning of a Dodgers romp over the Pirates on May 8, but no one would blame Higginson (Oakville, Ont.) if he did. Christopher Bostick made his maajor-league debut in left field and struck out the next inning facing Alex Wood. It was the first player Higginson signed to reach the majors after he drafted him from a Rochester (NY) high school in the 44th round in 2011. Bostick was hitless in four at-bats in May, but batted .348 as a September call up. He was part of a four-player deal to the Rangers in 2013, then to the Nationals and on to the Pirates.

Last June, Higginson drafted 2B Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.) from Canisius in the 33rd round. Lumley hit .333 with 25 RBIs for the Rookie Class Arizona League A’s. His earlier sign, OF Brett Siddall -- 13th rounder from Canisius in 2015 -- batted .300, with 21 homers and 68 RBIs at single A Stockton. Also his RHP Lou Trivino, an 11th rounder from Slippery Rock split the season between triple-A Nashville and double-A Midland (8-3, 3.03, 65 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings).

87. Ryan McBride, director of baseball, Toronto Mets (88).

Few, if any, coaches saw their players fare as well in college as McBride, as the former Toronto Mets boss saw J.D. Osborne (Whitby, Ont.) of the Tampa Spartans and Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) Kentucky Wildcats earned spots on the Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian college First Team honours, while Adam Jafine (Toronto, Ont.) Charleston Golden Eagles and Midland’s Eric Senior (Toronto, Ont.) gained spots on the second team. Osborne hit .387, slugging 20 home runs while driving in 86 runs. He also led the team with 19 doubles and ranked second among all Spartans with 66 runs and 86 hits. Pompey had 18 doubles, 10 homers, 45 RBIs, 1.005 OPS, 9-for-13 stealing bases, leading the SEC with a .410 average in league games, while tallying the most hits and finishing in the top three in runs, on-base percentage, and total bases. Jafine racked up eight wins and was tied for second in the Mountain East Conference in innings pitched (83 1/3 innings, was third in strikeouts (82). Senior, a former T12 MVP, ranked high amongst the national leaders, sitting third in RBIs (91), 12th in triples (seven), 15th in hits (90), 17th in home runs (17), 22nd in runs (72) and 28th in slugging (.752).

Two years ago, C Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) was the top high schooler in Canada signing with the Diamondbacks for $1,214,100 and last June the honour belonged to another Met: RHP Landon Leach, signed by the Twins for $1.4 million. Chris Kemlo coached the 18u Mets, along with Mark Dainty, Claire Osborne.

88. Stu Scheurwater, umpire (91).

Scheurwater (Regina, Sask.) was the first Canadian named to the major league staff since Jim McKean (Montreal, Que.) retired after 2001. He replaces Dale Scott, who suffered a career-ending concussion at the Rogers Centre. Scheurwater spent parts of six seasons Triple-A while filling in at the major-league level for Scott. He has already worked 153 games in the majors, 253 in his career going back to his debut April 25, 2014 at Dodger Stadium.

Scheurwater will stage an umpires clinic in Charlottetown this month for aa three-day clinic, along with Trevor Grieve (Scarborough, Ont.), considered by many to be the best amateur umpire in Canada. Grieve officiated the gold medal game in the last two World Baseball Classics.

89. Mike Wilner, broadcaster, The Fan (75).

Wilner falls in the ratings for 2017. Did you not listen? He was to blame for many of the Jays defeats on the postgame show. He’s the one the Jays went from 93 victories and 2015 postseason play, to 89 wins and the 2016 October play to 76 wins. After a tough loss it is the toughest job in the organization except maybe being travelling secretary when you arrive at DFW after an extra-inning loss, only to find out the team charter is still in Newark (true story, about 1988).

Am a long-time listener who has never been a first-time caller, Wilner needs a Chuck Barris gong for some callers. He has patience to teach two Grade 1 classes seven days a week. Wilner knows the game and hosted the Baseball Canada Fund Raiser in January. It was a four-alarm set of speeches. We are far from an expert on multi-platforming but thought the pregame TV show worked a lot better when Wilner was asked “What are your callers talking about Mike?” every week in 2016. There were only roughly only 10 sightings this past season.

Baba spearheaded a three-year partnership with Rogers Comunications’ Dale Hooper, which led to Canada Baseball Day at the Rogers Centre. Baba was head technical commissioner at the WBSC U-18 WC and worked on the technical side for the last two rounds of the WBC. Baba is fast becoming go-to technical guy for the WBSC at international events.

The chair of the IBAF tournaments commission, a group in charge of the rules and designs of the IBAF championships. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Hall of Fame as a player in 2009, joining his idol Doerksen. He failed to repeat coaching the Prairies at Tournament 12.

91. Richard Griffin, columnist, Toronto Star (89).

One ex-Montrealer who follows the Jays calls Griffin “the heart and conscience of sporting’s fifth estate.” He is the market’s quickest wit whether it be in print, on TV or radio or in person. He has been writing about the Jays for 22 years after 21 years running the Expos P.R. department,

And now along with Mike Nightingale, he forms the Oakville A’s best coaching staff in the organization. He is a regular on the Scott MacArthur show, afternoons on TSN, with your host Scott MacArthur, starring Scott MacArthur.

92. Jason Bryans, scout, Cardinals (-).

Bryans (Tecumseh, Ont.) travelled down the I-70, switching from scouting for Kansas City to the Cards. Sean Manaea, a Bryans draft from his KC days, was selected in the first round (34th over-all) from Indiana State in 2013. Manaea was given a $3.55 million bonus and won 12 games in 29 starts with a 4.37 ERA. The Royals dealt Aaron Brooks and Manaea to the Athletics for Ben Zobrist and cash.

With the Cards he was in on drafting OF Nick Plummer, a high schooler from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. in the first round (23rd over-all) in 2015. Plummer was given a $2,124,400 bonus. And the same year he selected 3B Bryce Denton, a second rounder from Brentwood, Tenn., who was given a $1.2 Million bonus.

93. Jon Lalonde, pro scout, Blue Jays (90).

Lalonde is one of the top evaluators on the pro staff. The Jays used him a lot of high leverage assignments leading up to the trade deadline and giving him Nippon Professional Baseball organization coverage. Jim Skaalen and Lalonde went to Seoul and Tokyo during the WBC in March. Along with Dan Evans and Andrew Tinnish, the former scouting director, were some of those Jays scouts in on free-agent, two-way man Shohei Ohtani. Most of his time was spent on the NL Central

C A.J. Jiménez, drafted in the ninth round in 2008 when Lalonde was scouting director of the Jays made his debut with the Texas Rangers. Running the Jays scouting department, Lalonde and scout Tom Burns also selected Brett Cecil, 38th overall in 2007, now in year II of a four-year $30.5 million deal by the Cardinals and C JP Arencibia (466 games in six seasons).

94. Jay Lapp, scout, Jays (94)

Lapp didn’t draft anyone with the Brewers last June and was let go in September. Steve Sanders and Jamie Lehman of the Blue Jays stepped in and hired Lapp (London, Ont.). Lapp is the most experienced of the Jays amateur scouting staff which includes: Adam Arnold (St. Thomas, Ont.), Jasmin Roy (Montreal, Que.) and Kory Lafreniere (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.). Don Cowan (Delta, BC) retired at the end of the season. The highest the Jays have ever paid to a Canadian is $462,500 to RHP Trystan Magnuson (Vancouver, BC) from Louisville in 2007. The Jays rank 11th in six-figure signning bonuses paid to Canadians behind the Pirates, who are $6,905,000, followed by the Mariners, Padres, Orioles, Braves, Brewers, Twins, Reds, Marlins and the Cubs.

Lapp signed OF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) with the Brewers and he had 23 doubles, four triples, 11 homers while knocking in 40 and batting .214. He was 38-for-49 stealing bases with a .632 OPS in 125 games.

95. Denis Boucher, scout, New York Yankees (-).

Boucher (Laval, Que.) was the pitching coach of Canada’s World Baseball Classic in Miami, working with Phillies PHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC). He also coached the Quebec team in Tournament 12.

And as a scout, the Yankees sent Boucher (Laval, Que.) to last year’s draft at MLB Network headquarters in Secaucus, N.J. He was joined at their respective tables by three other Canucks Mets Claude Pelletier (Ste-Lezare, Que.), Murray Cook (Sackville, NB) and assistant GM Gord Ash (Toronto, Ont.). “I told Denis,” said Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer, in a joking manner, “it is going to be easier to find a Canadian representative on the draft floor than to find a Canadian team in the Stanley Cup Final.”

96. Andrew Albers, Orix Blue Wave (-).

Acquired from the Braves Aug. 11, Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) went 5-1 with one save and a 3.51 ERA in 9 appearances, including six starts, striking out 37 in 41 innings. The Mariners, agent Blake Crosky and Orix worked out a deal for him to go to Japan.

As a starter, Albers was 4-1 with a 3.16 ERA, limiting opponents to three earned runs or less in each start, while he fanned 25 in 31 1/3 innings. At triple-A, Gwinnett he was 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA with 10 quality starts out of 17 starts with 115 whiffs in 120 2/3 innings. He earned International League Pitcher of the Week and was Gwinnett’s Pitcher of the Month the same month (July) as he went 4-0 with a 1.14 ERA.

97. Fred Zinkie, MLB.com (-).

Who knew that the fantasy capital of the world was at the Rogers Centre, or rather Newcastle, Ont. Yet, when host Kelly Nash throws to the Dairy Queen Ball Park Cam there is Zinkie standing outside the third base dugout at the Rogers Centre. He was hired by Dave Feldman in 2011. Zinkie (@FredZinkieMLB) had been highly interested in fantasy sports while attending Lakehead and Victoria, where he did his Master’s, and baseball was his favourite sport.

He fared well and decided to show others how to play. Zinkie went through to become a teacher, and still teaches. He competes in the two biggest invitation-only leagues within the industry -- Tout Wars and LABR -- each year regularly finishing among the top three nearly every year. He submits anywhere from 3-to-10 articles a week, depending upon needs. In the offseason, he writes for the player preview, does podcasts, segments for the MLB Network and manages all team depth charts and injury pages.

98. Scott MacArthur, TSN.

MacArthur covered all 162 games for three seasons. Zero writers do that. Zero TV types do that. Only Tom Cheek and Jerry Howarth worked that hard and TSN’s MacArthur did not have the team charter to get him to the next destination. That is how he earned the nickname 162.

Now, he’s off the road and host of the Scott MacArthur Show, with your host Scott MacArthur, starring Scott MacArthur weekday afternoons on TSN. Not many host have two former GMs regularly like MacArthur does. He has former Blue Jays GM Gord Ash and former New York Mets GM Steve Phillips. TSN’s deep roster of coverage which includes Gregor Chisholm (Saint John, NB) of bluejays.com, Richard Griffin (Kingston) of the Toronto Star, Steve Simmons (Toronto, Ont.), Paul Hollingsworth (Halifax, NS), and ex-Jay Dirk Hayhurst.

99. Maxime Lamarche, executive director, Baseball Québec (-).

Qubec ran the table at the 15U edging New Brunswick 2-1 in the gold medal game. Quebec knocked off Ontario, BC, New Brunswick and PEI to get to the finale. Quebec was led by the likes of Émilien Pitre, Nicolas Deschamps, Jérémy Therien, Mathis Poutre, Simon Lusignan and Thomas Sansregret. A member of the Baseball Canada championships committee, he makes sure that what is best for the province happens. He also looks after human and financial resources plus sponsorship.

Previously, Maxime held the position of Director of Sales and Marketing at the Capitales de Québec for five seasons. In addition to his administrative experience, Maxime Lamarche also played on diamonds practically all his youth. He competed in his Junior Elite career with the Bisons of Saint-Eustache and the Diamonds of Quebec from 1999 to 2004. He caught at Brevard and Des Moines Area Community College, before joining the Quebec Capital. After retirement from playing, he handled sales and marketing moving to Baseball Québec in 2010.

100. Kevin Briand, pro scout, Toronto Blue Jays (-).

When the Jays moved RP Joe Smith to Cleveland at the deadline it was Briand (Montreal, Que.) who had filed good reports on the two minor leaguers. The Jays added both LHP Thomas Pannone, 23, and INF Samad Taylor, 18. Pannone, a ninth round pick in 2013, was at class-A Lynchburg, double-A Akron and double-A New Hampshire. Combined at three spots, he was 9-3 in 25 starts with a 2.36 ERA. He walked 36 and fanned 149 in 144 2/3 innings.

Taylor also made three stops at class-A Mahoning Valley, class-A Bluefield and class-A Vancouver. He hit .294 with nine doubles, six homers 30 RBIs and a .771 OPS in 52 games.

Brietner, 63, threw out the first pitch to Etobicoke’s own Joey Votto, when the Reds came to the Rogers Centre last year. Toronto lawyer David Wiseman, a former Etobicoke Rangers catcher called Greg Hamilton in Ottawa of Baseball Canada with the suggestion. Then, Hamilton a former Princeton Tiger called another Mark Shapiro, who played one year of football there and is now president of the Toronto Blue Jays. They made it happen, unlike when the Canada’s 1984 Olympic team wanted to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Yankees Rob Thomson. It’s like the Etobicoke Rangers are more important than our Olympic team or the Yankees. “Well, I would say that I would have to agree with THAT,” deadpanned Whitey that night. Mike (The General) Gauthier on his coach: “Words can’t describe the affection I have for Steve. We shared many great memories on the field but it was the ones off the field that I hold special and dear to my heart. We talked on the phone, texted during ball games most every day and I feel fortunate to have spent quality time with him in December when I was finally able to travel back to Canada (from Wisconsin). The embrace we shared when I got home is something that I will remember forever.”

Fields, 70, touched them all as a player, coach, manager, president and groundskeeper at Lacasse Park, where his No. 22 is the only number retired, Fields always credited his coach, Sid Cooke, for mentoring him in baseball and life. He joined the Tecumseh Green Giants when the Maidstone Shamrocks folded. Fields managed Tecumseh to the 1992 national senior title. A true fighter, he battled blood cancer for almost seven years.

Johnson 93, was nicknamed Iron Lady, of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 and a year later was accorded induction into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. In 1992 Arleene was a technical advisor on “A League of Their Own” and at the end of the film, Arleene, along with other former Canadians played in a reunion game on Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY.

Logie, 75, was a long-time Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame volunteer, a baseball bat authenticator and historian. He is also the man who named the OHL’s London Knights. Logie spent hours upon hours documenting the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s bat inventory.

In the case of Norton, 75, every night during the summer we watch teams compete on the field. What we never see is the competition that goes on behind the scenes. Phone calls. Workouts. Evaluating between scouts from two teams. Interviews with parents/players and scouts. Then the constant calls to the war room. Norton won only one battle during the June draft and it was not one of the top three. The Mariners signed Mariners INF Louis Boyd (North Vancouver, BC) in the 24th round. Yet, Norton battled each and every day, all 365 days as he battled ALS. He went from being fed through a tube (“Right now I’m having a grilled cheese with ice cream and pie for desert,” he would tell pals Pat Gillick, Ian Dickson or Bob Engle on a visit as he nodded towards the IV bag.) He battled to get to off the IVs and from his wheel chair threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Safeco last September.

Widdrington, 87, was married to Peter Widdrington, who attended Queen’s University and Harvard Business School, before almost 40 years with John Labatt Ltd. He was Chairman of the Board of the Blue Jays during the glory years up to and including the 1992 and 1993 World Championship season. He played a large role in the developing Canada’s first all-sports network, TSN. He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.

And since we were five weeks late due to eye surgeries -- eight days of not being able to read, then more than a week of only two or three-hour shift at the laptop, rather than an 8-to-10 hours -- we have some more names

Dana Bookman helped form the Toronto Girls Baseball League and then moved on to other provinces.

102. Dana Bookman and Julie Gosselin, women’s baseeball.

Bookman is the founder of Toronto Girls Baseball, Nova Scotia Girls Baseball, Manitoba Girls Baseball and the Canadian Women’s Baseball Association. The Queen’s grad has been nominated for RBC Female Entrepreneur of the Year. Bookman has more than 15 years of experience in news, current affairs, reality and documentary and online programming and has produced for major broadcasters.

Gosselin, a Baseball Quebec vice president since 2014, has also been responsible for women’s baseball since 2016 and came up with new strategic plan for female baseball in the province. She convinced Maxime Lamarche to start an ABC for women and now coach Robbie Fatal trains and instructs six women. Gosselin worked for RDS and the Vancouver Olympics.

103. James Parker area scout, Padres (-).

San Diego scouting director Mark Conner singled out first-year scout Parker (Ottawa, Ont.). Parker chose Cole Bellinger of Chandler, Az. in the 15th round. “Our first-year area scout James Parker did a really good job on (Cole Bellinger),” Conner said. “Cole is considered more of a position player by a lot of people in this draft. (Parker) went in, saw him pitch and really, really liked him and kind of sparked our interest.”

Logan White drafted first baseman Cody Bellinger with the Dodgers in 2013 and he won NL rookie of the year. The Padres gave him a $350,000 US bonus. The right-hander had an ERA of 1.35 in nine games with the AZL Rookie-Class Padres, fanning 15 in 13 1/3 innings. After working Canada and learning under Murry Zuk (Souris, Man.), Parker scouts the four corners (Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico).

104. Peter Orr, pro scout, Brewers (-).

The annual Baseball Canada fund raiser in January was tame until the highlights were shown of some of Canada’s biggest games: beating USA in Winnipeg at the 1999 Pan Ams, the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, the 2008 Olympic qualifier, winning the 2011 Pan Am in Mexico, knocking off Team USA in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, as well as highlights of Justin Morneau, Joey Votto and Larry Walker. And then came CBC’s coverage from faraway Ajax at the 2015 Pan Ams. Canada fell behind by two in extras when Orr singled in a run. With one out and runners on first and second, lefty David Huff decided on his own to try a back-door pick off of Orr.

Huff threw the ball into foul ground, third base coach Stubby Clapp waved Skylar Stomsmoe home to tie the game as Orr slid head first into third. Except the right fielder throw went past third. Orr looked for Clapp and couldn’t find him. So off Orr raced for home as people in the banquet room yelled, “Slide!” Orr did and was safe. Orr will also scout the Canadian Junior Team, besides his pro coverage.

105. Mike Bonanno, agent (-).

When the WBC was underway, Bonanno (Burlington, Ont.) wasn’t entirely sure who to root for. After all he represented six players on the rosters of four different countries. With Canada were clients 3B Eric Wood (Pickering, Ont.), LHP Shane Dawson (Drayton Valley, Alta.) and C Mike Reeves (Peterborough, Ont.); RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) with Italy; Joey Wong with China and Jake Sanchez with Mexico.

He also represents Jordan Balazovic a fifth rounder signed for $515,000 in 2016, as well as Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) and RP Andrew Case (St. John, NB), who both had strong seasons in the Blue Jays systems. Client Ian Parmley made his major-league debut playing three games with the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as Austin Wynns was placed on the Orioles 40-man roster, while Beau Taylor and Seth Brown are in the Athletics system.

The Mariners saw a whole bunch of players go off to university last fall. The top dog was Jason Willow, who went on to play shortstop for Canada at the World 18U in Thunder Bay. He was drafted by the Orioles but is at Santa Barbara. T12 starter Fynn Chester and Liam Krause are at Salt Lake. Dylan Price, who led the BCPBL in steals and Jacob Potter went to Allen County, Caleb Piechnik, who led the league with a .431 average and Ethan Brunton are at Southeastern Illinois; Dan Rockwell who hit eight homer last fall and Zeke Holt are at Wenatchee, while Jeff Simpson went to Colby.

Trey Crust went to Douglas, while Dawson Neal, Nick Lee and Natle Postle are with the Okanagan College Coyotes.

107. Jim Swanson, Victoria HarbourCats (76)

The HarbourCats dropped to 14th among summer college leagues according to Baseball Digest. They drew 51,264 to Royal Athletic Park, an average of 1,899 fans per game. That would be 43 fans less per game than the Gastonia Grizzlies. He is former sports editor of the Prince George Citizen.

LHP Claire Eccles (Surrey, BC) became the first woman to pitch in the West Coast League and is back for the summer of 2018. After pitching for Canada at the 2016 Women’s World Cup in South Korea, Eccles was 1-0 with four walks and two strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings.

108. Robbie Fatal, coach, ABC (93).

As director and head coach of the l’Académie de baseball du Canada (ABC) and des Ailes du Québec, Fatal had three players on the Canadian Junior National Team at the World 18U in Thunder Bay. 2B Edouard Julien is now a freshman at Auburn, C Archer Bookman is attending Seminole State and William Sierra is at Chipola. OF Marc Antoine Lebreux is with this year’s team and headed to Seminole State. Plus RHP Mathieu Gauthier (Candiac, QC) is in his second year at North Carolina State.

As well, OF Christopher Acosta-Tapia (Laval, Que.) earned Canadian Baseball Network College Player of the Year honours. OF Jonathan Lacroix (Montreal, Que.) of Seminole State and Acosta-Tapia also earned First Team all-Canadian college honors. He has over 20 years of experience as a coach, spending most of his Junior Elite Quebec Baseball League time with the Saguenay Voyageurs. He won three gold medals in junior (2004, 2008 and 2009) and one in bantam (2011).

109. Mike Kelly, BC Minor baseball (-).

There was a time when Ari Mellious and Kelly coached Jeff Francis, Justin Morneau and James Paxton. Now, with the help of Pete Caliendo they toured the BC hinterlands making 17 stops in a 15-day period and drawing 5,000 fans showed up for the 17 events. The carvan visited Osoyoos, Kelowna, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Mission, Prince George, Port Coquitlam, Lake Cowichan, Salt Spring Island, Comox Valley, Campbell River, Nanaimo, Tsawwassen, North Shore and White Rock.

Grant Rimer, Orville Germaine, Michael Dagg, Kelly and Caliendo make all the stops in the communities from Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland, Okanagan and far north as Prince George. And as always when the Chicago-based Kelly drops Caliendo at the airport he thanks him for coming to teach the parents and their children “so that they can grow up to beat Team USA.”

Rob Butler of the Butler Baseballl Academy

110. Rob and Rich Butler, coaches, Ontario Prospects (81)

Ryan Kellogg is the most famous alumnus of the Butler Brothers program. It did not take long for the Butlers to have an impact on the lefty. They converted him from playing behind the plate to the mound. He went to the Chicago Cubs in the fifth round in 2015, and was 5-7 with a 5.12 ERA in 23 games, making 20 starts. He walked 28 and struck out 53 in 103 2/3 innings for the class-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans.

Kellogg was sixth among Canadians in innings pitched (103 2/3 innings) and tied for seventh in wins (five, with Angels’ Connor Lillis-White).

111. André Lachance, coach, Canada’s womens team.

Last year was an off season (competition-wise) for the Canadian women’s team. This year they will play in the 8th WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup in Viera, Fla. in August. Also the manager of baseball operations with Baseball Canada, he was the first level 5 certified baseball coach in Canada,

His experience includes Université Laval’s program, coaching Eric Gagne to a gold medal at the Midget nationals as well as National Women’s Team. Led by Ashley Stephenson, Stéphanie Savoie, Nicole Luchanski, Jenna Flannigan and Autumn Mills, Canada lost in Ajax in the gold medal game to Team USA.

112. Mike Griffin, coach, Czech national team.

Griffin (Nanaimo, BC) played for the Nanaimo Pirates of the BC Premier League, joined the Canadian Junior National Team in 2003, attended school at the College of Southern Idaho and University of Hawaii before playing two years in the Czech Republic. He took up coaching and Major League Baseball employed him to work in development centres, in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. This is his fifth season managing.

The Czech team almost upset Mexico in the WBC qualifier, losing 2-1 in the opener. beating Germany 15-3 and being eliminated 7-6 by Nicaragua in 11 innings. The Czech team plays in A European Pool.

113. Gary Van Tol, coach, Boise State (-).

Van Tol (Pincher Creek, Alta.) is the only coach assured of an undefeated season. He has been named the new coach as Boise restarts a program disbanded in 1980. The first season will be in 2020. Van Tol spent the past 10 years in the Chicago Cubs organization, including two years as Boise Hawks manager.

Boise is the only Division I program in the state of Idaho. Before his stint with the Eugene Emeralds and Boise Hawks, he was an assistant at Gonzaga University and University of Portland. He was the head coach at Treasure Valley and Centralia College.

114. Ross Baron, groundskeeper, Nat Bailey Stadium (-).

Formerly a grounds crew intern with the Nationals, and a graduate of the University of Guelph turf grass school, the native of Gibsons BC, earned Northwest League groundskeeper of the year in 2017. His work drew compliments from visiting players and coaches alike, not to mention the Canadians themselves.

Besides Baron being honoured, the Canadians won the deciding game of the best-of-three final with a 2-1 decision over the Eugene Emeralds. That’s four title in seven years. Riley Adams, William Ouellette and Orlando Pascual made the all-star game.

115. Sebastian Gatica, VP, Communications, Jays (-).

Gatica first came to the Skydome as a friend of the Jays mascot Ace, who replaced BJ Birdy. Gatica first duties were to shoot hot dogs out of the air cannons from atop the dugouts. He went back to school and was hired by Rogers.

Gatica was with Ron McLean as Scotiabank Hockey Day toured the country and then joined the Jays as spokesman for club president Mark Shapiro.

Former Whalley Chiefs catcher Cole Armstrong (Surrey, BC) will be the hitting coach in the White Sox system at double-A Birmingham.

The social event of the 2017 season was the party at the Audi Mansiion on the Bridle Path. Playing the music was DJ Lauren (LO) Thompson (Toronto, Ont.) of Bellosound. Jose Bautista stopped by to say hello..

Reliever John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) has signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Photo Credit: Toronto Blue Jays

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories:

· Port Dover, Ont., native John Axford has signed a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays that includes an invite to big league spring training. The 6-foot-5 reliever struggled in 2017 after beginning the campaign on the disabled list with a right shoulder injury. In 22 appearances with the Oakland A’s last season, he posted a 6.43 ERA but he was still averaging 95 mph with his fastball. Set to turn 35 on April 1, Axford will battle with fellow right-handers Al Alburquerque, Jake Petricka and Carlos Ramirez for a spot in the Blue Jays’ bullpen. In all, in nine major league seasons, Axford has registered a 3.71 ERA and notched 144 saves in 493 career major league appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies and the A’s.

· With the Feb. 1 announcement that Pedro Martinez will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in June and Vladimir Guerrero set to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July, there will soon be a total of 11 inductees that are in both the Canadian ball hall and the Cooperstown shrine. Joining Martinez and Guerrero on that exclusive list are Fergie Jenkins, Jackie Robinson, Sparky Anderson, Tommy Lasorda, Roberto Alomar, Pat Gillick, Gary Carter, Andre Dawson and Tim Raines.

· Twenty-four years ago today, Hall of Famer Robin Yount officially announced his retirement. He spent his entire 20-year major league career with the Milwaukee Brewers, but, according to Ross Newhan of the Los Angeles Times in a 1992 article, when Yount became a free agent after the 1989 season he was pursued by the Blue Jays before he re-signed with the Brewers. You can understand why the Blue Jays wanted to sign Yount. The 1982 American League MVP hit better against the Blue Jays than any other major league team. In 204 contests against Toronto, he posted a .330/.388/.513 slash line – his best against any club. He also had more home runs (25), RBIs (129) and triples (15) against the Blue Jays than he did against any other team.

· Happy 39th Birthday to Montreal native Eric Cyr, who pitched in five games for the San Diego Padres in 2002. Originally selected in the 35th round by his hometown Montreal Expos in 1996, the 6-foot-4 left-hander declined to sign and was chosen by the Padres in the 30th round two years later. In total, he pitched 10 professional seasons, which included tenures in the Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners organizations. He finished his pro career with the Quebec City Capitales of the Can-American Association in 2008.

· I love this photo (above) because it illustrates how easy it used to be to obtain an autograph from a major league player. This photo was snapped at Jarry Park in 1969.

· Eight years ago today, Frank Thomas officially announced his retirement. And he wasn’t nearly as bad with the Toronto Blue Jays as the club’s fans seem to remember him being. As a 39-year-old DH with the club in 2007, he topped the team in on-base percentage (.377), home runs (26) and RBIs (95). But he struggled the following spring and I can recall fans booing him loudly (well, loudly for Canadian fans) at games in Dunedin, Fla. However, I also noticed that when Thomas came out of those spring games in the fifth inning or so, he would still graciously stop and sign autographs for the fans -- many of them the same fans that had been booing him earlier in the game.

· If you keep track of ex-Blue Jays like I do, you’ll be interested to know that right-hander Dustin McGowan has signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. The deal includes an invite to big league spring training. For the past two seasons, McGowan has served as a reliever for the Miami Marlins. He excelled in his first season with the Marlins, posting a 2.82 ERA while striking out 63 in 67 innings. He wasn’t nearly as effective in 2017. His ERA rose to 4.75, thanks in large part to allowing 13 home runs in 87 innings. Now 35, the former first-rounder pitched parts of seven injury-riddled seasons with the Blue Jays between 2005 and 2014, before landing with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015.

· And as Valentine’s Day approaches, I always like to remember Yogi Berra’s words of wisdom:

Sidearm reliever Joe Smith posted a 3.28 ERA in 35 2/3 innings for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017 before being dealt to the Cleveland Indians last July.

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

The Blue Jays made two low-risk free agent signings in the winter of 2016/17 in order to shore up their bullpen. One of them worked and one didn't. Joe Smith was the free agent signing that paid off, big time.

Smith, 33, signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Jays before the season and was outstanding. His ERA of 3.28 and WHIP of 1.12 were good but it was his strikeout-to-walk rate that was really where Smith stood out. Smith struck out an amazing 35.4% of batters while walking 6.9% over 35 2/3 innings.

Smith's season was marred by an shoulder injury that had him on the DL from mid-June to late-July. Smith's rehab did allow the triple-A Buffalo Bisons to have four Smiths on their roster for a short time but when he returned and gave the Blue Jays four innings of one-run relief, it was enough to get the Cleveland Indians to acquire Smith for their playoff run.

Smith brought the Blue Jays lefty Thomas Pannone and infielder Samad Taylor in the deal, giving them a solid prospect haul for their investment of about $2 million in salary for Smith.

With the Indians, Smith tossed 18 1/3 innings with a 3.44 ERA and 0.87 WHIP while striking out 28.6% of batters and walking no one. In the ALDS, Smith pitched four times for 2 1/3 innings and struck out three of the batters he faced, allowing no hits and just one intentional walk.

With the emergence of internal, less expensive options for the bullpen in Toronto (like Danny Barnes, Ryan Tepera and Carlos Ramirez), the Blue Jays did not pursue Smith in free agency in the offseason.

Contract Status

Smith signed a deal in December with the Houston Astros guaranteeing him two years and $15 million ($7 million in 2018 and $8 million in 2019).

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: AEmily: A

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

The Rangers are going to Fort Pierce, Fla. for sun, fun and hopefully zero sore arms.

The Brampton Royals were the first of the elite teams to file their spring schedule for Florida.

The Royals are taking one team to SFlorida this year at the 16U age grouping. Brampton is headed to St. Petersburg, playing its gaames at Baseball City which used to be known as the Walter Fuller Complex.

ETOBICOKE RANGERS 16U(Schedule as of Jan. 24, 2018

At Fort Pierce, Fla.All are seven-inning games. Schedule is subject to change.

Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia had a dismal partial season with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Emily @JaysGirlEmily

Blue Jays from Away

Jarrod Saltalamacchia was signed to a minor-league deal in February 2017 with an invitation to Spring Training. He was expected to be the Blue Jays’ backup catcher at the start of the season.

To say he hit poorly would be an understatement. Saltalamacchia got his first hit of the season in his first game (April 7 against the Tampa Bay Rays). He didn’t get a second. He finished April with a batting average of .040 in 25 at-bats, and the Blue Jays designated him for assignment on April 28 before releasing him on May 3.

His lone walk of the season came in his final game, facing the St. Louis Cardinals on April 27. That gave him an OBP of .077, a walk percentage of 3.8%, and with 16 strikeouts, he had a strikeout rate of 61.5%. At one point he struck out in 10 consecutive plate appearances, setting a Blue Jays franchise record.

In 52 innings logged behind the plate, he didn’t have any passed balls. However, he was 0-for-9 in catching base stealers.

After the Blue Jays released Saltalamacchia in May, they then signed him to another minor-league deal two weeks later. He hit .162/.271/.243 with one home run, 17 walks and 51 strikeouts in 111 at-bats in triple-A, before being released for good on June 30.

Contract Status:

Saltalamacchia was released and hasn’t yet signed with another team.

Regular Season Grades:

Jay Blue: F

Emily: F-

Follow me on Twitter: @JaysGirlEmily

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

In 2017 Kendrys Morales was chasing a ghost. With Cleveland in 2017 that ghost hit .258/.377/.504, with 38 home runs, a division title, and helped his team log an historic winning streak. That ghost of course was fellow designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, the man Morales replaced in Toronto.

By most performance metrics the ghost won. Morales hit .250/.308/.445. with 28 home runs in 2017 - not necessarily terrible, but not great and certainly nowhere near expectations.

To make matters worse Morales had career, or near career, worsts in numerous hitting categories. His swing and miss was up, his ground ball percentage was up, his walks were down, his strike outs were up. By mid summer he seemed to be grounding into a double play every at bat. You get the picture. It wasn’t going well.

There is a vigorous debate about how to interpret Morales’s 2017 numbers with many wondering if he’s simply on the wrong side of the aging curve. He will turn 35 this year but the very nature of his career makes it hard to make an easy calculation regarding decline.

His two peak years were 2009 and 2015, many years apart with vastly different clubs in different baseball eras.

In 2009, after a defection from Cuba and years of up and down promise, he had a breakout season with the Angels, he hit .306/.355/.569 with 34 home runs and 43 doubles. But it wouldn’t last. In May of 2010 he broke his leg touching home plate after a grand slam. He lost the rest of that year and all of the next to injury.

When he returned in 2012 and 2013 he was above average, sporting an OPS+ of 119 and 123 respectively. But in 2014 Morales refused to sign a contract until June, well into the season. After starting the year significantly late he played poorly, hitting only a Ryan Goins-esque .218/.274/.338 between the Minnesota Twins and the Seattle Mariners.

In 2015, after signing a two year deal with Kansas City, he broke out again, hitting .290/362/.485 with 22 home runs and 41 doubles. All done on the largest field in the American League. In 2016 he regressed, hitting .263/.327/468 but with a monstrous 30 home runs. The first 30 home run season by a Kansas City player since 2000.

This is really where Toronto started taking notice. His OPS in 2016 was .795 but projecting what he might do in Toronto using Statcast and advanced metrics some had him batting with an OPS north of .900 with home run totals well above 30.

Instead, things worked out differently. In 2017 his OPS was only .753, well below what was expected.

The question remains: is that regression due to his age or a player with a new team trying too hard to crush every ball with some bad luck mixed in? His BABIP (batting average on balls in play) was 20 points below his career norms, which does suggest at least some bad luck. His power also appears to still be intact. His average exit velocity in 2016 was 94 mph (14th overall), while in 2017 it was 91.7 (18th overall, tied with J.D. Martinez - for some reason all top players saw a decrease in average exit velocity last year).

Can he get closer to where he was in 2015? Great question.

Contract Status

Under contract with Toronto until 2019

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: C-Emily: C+Wesley James: C

Follow me on Twitter: @WesleyJBaseball

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

]]>2017 Toronto Blue Jays Season Review: Kendrys Moraleshttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/2017-toronto-blue-jays-season-review-kendrys-moralesWhat to do with the Blue Jays outfield?Toronto Blue JaysCole SheltonSat, 10 Feb 2018 23:56:28 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/MG1aWlREj3Y/what-to-do-with-the-blue-jays-outfield54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a7f84ae0852294ef6cf1f68The Toronto Blue Jays report to spring training this month, and one
question heading into camp is what will the team do with the outfield?
Canadian Baseball Network writer Cole Shelton offers his thoughts.

Veteran Curtis Granderson was added to the Toronto Blue Jays' outfield mix on a one-year, $5-million contract this offseason.

By Cole Shelton

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays report to spring training this month, and one question heading into camp is what will the team do with the outfield?

This offseason the Blue Jays acquired Randal Grichuk from the St. Louis Cardinals and signed Curtis Granderson as a free agent, both are outfielders. Not only did Toronto add two outfielders, they added to a position of depth already. The Blue Jays have Ezequiel Carrera, Steve Pearce, Kevin Pillar, Anthony Alford, Dalton Pompey, Teoscar Hernandez, Grichuk and Granderson all heading into camp vying for four maybe five spots in that outfield. In other words, that is a ton of outfielders with most likely four staying in the majors, and three or four heading to triple-A Buffalo.

However, if Toronto decides to start the season with five outfielders the Blue Jays bench will take a hit. Carrying five outfielders will not allow Toronto to carry eight relievers something they have liked to do to open the season in years past. Or have Aledmys Diaz on the big club, and have Yangervis Solarte as the only backup infielder on the roster.

Now, it isn’t just the major-league roster where the outfield is a mess. It is also in triple-A, as Ian Parmley, Harold Ramirez, Roemon Fields, Pompey, Alford and Hernandez fighting for just four roster spots, with a trickle-down effect all throughout the minor league systems.

So what should Toronto do?

First off, the Blue Jays should look at the trade market for Carrera or Pearce, and try to acquire some bullpen help or maybe a backup catcher. Realistically, the Blue Jays do not need both Pearce and Carrera. Trading one of them for bullpen help will strengthen a position of weakness currently, while it will also open a roster spot up in the infield for Diaz or possibly allowing them to carry eight relievers to start the season like mentioned earlier.

Carrera is already replaced on the roster by Granderson who will earn $5 million this season. Last season, Carrera hit .282 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs compared to Granderson’s .212 batting average and 26 home runs and 64 RBIs. Granderson hits for more power than Carrera but Carrera gets on base more with a .356 on-base percentage compared to Granderson’s .323. However, Granderson also hits left-handed pitchers better than Carrera where Carrera hit below .100 last season, something where Granderson can come in and hit both left-handed and right-handed pitchers off the bench in a pinch-hitting scenario.

But where Granderson is more valuable than Carrera is in the outfield, as Granderson commits fewer errors than Carrera and also has a better arm for a better chance to throw someone out on the bases.

Now that Granderson has appeared to take over Carrera’s spot as the fourth outfielder or platoon outfielder with Pearce, there really is no reason to carry Carrera on this roster. But what might Carrera bring back through a trade?

Looking through past years of trades of fourth outfielders the consensus is that they typically receive a pitcher who has struggled in the majors, or a prospect who is nowhere close to the teams top-30. Truthfully, the Blue Jays should accept a trade for anything to give themselves more roster flexibility.

If they can’t get rid of Carrera and have to go to camp with five outfielders — which is not ideal in any way — it will trickle down all the way through the minor leagues as mentioned. Buffalo already has a plethora of outfielders regardless of what Toronto does. The Bisons already have Alford, Hernandez, Pompey, Parmley, Fields and Ramirez, and there is no possible way they can all be on that roster each getting regular at-bats. So a way Toronto could fix that is by looking to possibly package the likes of Parmley and Fields for a pitcher who could be in the bullpen, or a not so liked option by Blue Jays fans would be to move Pompey.

Pompey practically missed all of last season with injuries and is in his final year with an option. Pompey could be attractive to rebuilding clubs, as he gets on base and can steal bases with relative ease. While, he has also been passed on the depth chart by Hernandez and Alford and there is no clear path for him to the majors for 2019 when he doesn’t have options, Toronto risks losing him anyways. Pompey could get another player similar to him as a once-promising prospect who has been passed over and needs a fresh start in a new organization. Or a relief pitcher who will strengthen Toronto’s mediocre bullpen at best.

Whatever the Blue Jays decide to do with the outfield one thing is clear. Toronto must move one outfielder with a real possibility they trade an outfielder in triple-A Buffalo. Doing so will give the Blue Jays the most roster flexibility moving forward.

]]>What to do with the Blue Jays outfield?https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/what-to-do-with-the-blue-jays-outfieldCanada welcomed former Negro Leagues playersMajor Leagues (MLB)Minor leaguesSandlotsJ.P. AntonacciSat, 10 Feb 2018 14:03:23 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/C-8IRZFz3fU/canada-welcomed-former-negro-leagues-players54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a7ef57553450a4981e17931The integration of Major League Baseball was “certainly the death knell of
the Negro Leagues,” says Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues
Baseball Museum in Kansas City. But the end of segregated baseball also
sent an influx of talent north to Canada. Canadian Baseball Network writer
J.P. Antonacci shares the story of the Negro Leagues players who found jobs
with teams north of the border.

Jackie Robinson taking the field as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers marked a watershed moment in North American professional sports. But with its brightest stars soon scooped up by previously whites-only major league teams, the Negro Leagues began to falter, closing up shop for good 13 years after Robinson’s big league debut in 1947.

The integration of Major League Baseball was “certainly the death knell of the Negro Leagues,” says Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. However, he added, the end of segregated baseball also sent an influx of talent north to Canada.

“When (major league) baseball started siphoning the talent away from the Negro Leagues, a lot of the older players came up to Canada to resume their playing career,” Kendrick said during a Pitch Talks event in Toronto earlier this month.

Kendrick knows of Canadians who played in the Negro Leagues, but more common were Negro League players who were too old to be of interest to major league teams finding a new professional home north of the border.

“The culture and climate was so different here (in Canada), where they were more readily accepted than they were at home in the United States,” Kendrick said.

As a youngster in Galt (now Cambridge, Ont.) in the 1950s, Galt Terriers fan Ed Heather cheered on the roughly two dozen former Negro League players who joined the independent Intercounty Baseball League (IBL).

“Most of them were pretty darn good players, but in those days, unfortunately, even if they were as good as the white guys, they had to be better. There were a number of players who would’ve been in the big leagues if not for their colour,” said Heather, who went on to cover southwestern Ontario as a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Terriers team for which young Ed chased batting practice home run balls featured Gentry “Jeep” Jessup, who had pitched for the Chicago American Giants in the Negro Leagues and dominated on the mound and at the plate in Galt.

Outfielder Bob Thurman played for the Intercounty Baseball League's Brantford Red Sox in 1953 before being signed by the Cincinnati Reds.

Jessup was one of a group of African-American IBL players that included Ed Steele, who once patrolled the outfield alongside Willie Mays with the Birmingham Black Barons, and former Homestead Grays outfielder Bob Thurman, who joined the Brantford Red Sox in 1953 before being signed by the Cincinnati Reds.

“Within two years he was in the big leagues,” Heather said.

The Negro League players quickly became the stars of their new teams.

“These guys who came up were the prominent players in the league,” Heather said, calling Wilmer Fields, a pitcher/outfielder from the Homestead Grays, “the best player I’ve ever seen in the Intercounty, period.”

The American imports were also fan favourites.

“(The fans) loved them,” Heather said, citing Jessup as a prime example. “I swear to God he could’ve run for mayor. He was so popular. Everybody loved him.”

Jimmy Wilkes, a speedy outfielder who hit leadoff for the 1946 Negro League champion Newark Eagles, helped Brantford win five straight IBL titles during his decade with the club. The Philadelphia native settled in Brantford after his playing days, working for the city and serving as a highly respected Intercounty umpire for 23 years.

The IBL was just one Canadian destination for Negro League players who saw their livelihood threatened in the United States. Stars such as Ray Dandridge, Leon Day and Willie Wells played alongside former big leaguers, Latino standouts and local amateurs in the Manitoba-Dakota League (better known as the Mandak League), which fielded teams like the Winnipeg Buffaloes, Dauphin Red Birds and Saskatoon Gems. Manitoba’s Barry Swanton, author of The Mandak League: Haven for Former Negro League Ballplayers, 1950-1957, estimates that 140 former Negro League players suited up in the Mandak League during its brief existence.

Black players were also welcomed on rosters in the International League (in which Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Montreal Royals before being called up by Brooklyn) and the semipro Quebec Provincial League, a league of choice for black and Indigenous ballplayers since the 1930s.

“Canada has had a long connection to black baseball, with a lot of guys coming north to play and barnstorm in all parts of Canada,” Kendrick said.

Canadian visitors to the Negro Leagues museum – Kendrick says there are many, especially when the Blue Jays are in town to play the Royals – will appreciate one of the museum’s Canadian connections. Rocker Geddy Lee, a noted baseball fan often seen in the seats behind home plate at Rogers Centre, was so impressed by his first tour of the museum that when he later spotted 200 baseballs signed by Negro League players up for auction, he bought them for the museum.

Geddy Lee, lead singer and bassist for the Canadian rock band Rush, donated his collection of baseballs signed by Negro Leagues players to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City.

The Rush bassist later donated another 200 autographed Negro League baseballs and was on hand to dedicate the display of what is now one of the largest collections of its kind in the world.

“Can’t say I was much of a Rush fan before, but I’m a big Rush fan now,” Kendrick laughed.

*Updated February 10, 2018 - This is the beautiful "Celebration of Life" video that was played at Wayne Norton's memorial on February 8 at the Inlet Theatre and Galleria, Port Moody City Hall in Port Moody, B.C.*

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball NetworkWhat is a scout anyway?

“All they do is sit around and watch ball games,” the late Marge Schott, former owner of the Cincinnati Reds once said.

Wayne Norton was a scout.

Forced to use a walker, we watched him leave the sidewalk in the right field parking lot and head down, push all ahead through the long grass at Etobicoke’s Connorvale Park. He must have travelled 400 feet pushing his walker, getting his wheels straight all the way down the long grass in foul territory until he reached a perfect viewing spot behind the backstop and then he would turn his walker around and ... watch.

I remember saying that day to another scout, “I think we just saw more determination in that walk than what we saw last night at the Rogers Centre. He should be scout of the year just for making that walk.”

“Don’t you dare write that,” said the other scout. “He does not want any sympathy. He is doing his job without limitations.”

That was probably oh four or five years ago. One scout recalls going into IMG Academy with Norton in Bradenton, Fla. to watch LHP Isaac Anesty (Guelph, Ont.) of the Ontario Blue Jays pitch when Norton was having trouble walking.. But he was unsure if it was 2014 or 2015?

Another scout recalls Norton walking across the centre of the park at Disney and having to stop in the middle of the outfield and sit for a rest. His guess? Five years ago.

Since then Norton continued to sit and watch games. He scouted Canada for the Seattle Mariners -- from his hometown (Port Moody, BC) to Montreal. And he would still accompany the M’s International scouting director Bob Engle on trips to Europe. And then after Engle headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers he went solo.

Norton and Engle signed OF Gregory Halman in 2005 from Rotterdam, The Netherlands and they were there in November of 2011 for Halman’s funeral. Halman died of stab wounds after only 44 games in the majors.

Norton also signed INF Alex Liddi, of Sanremo, Italy, who played 61 games in the majors.

And once in his pre-walker days, he flew from Vancouver to work out two players in South Africa. He went straight to the field, worked out one player and within an hour the second player stopped by the diamond. His work done, he headed to the airport and flew back to Vancouver ... cancelling his hotel reservation.

Last spring he was behind the backstop as the University of British Columbia played with his saintly wife Trudith holding the gun.

Norton was diagnosed with that awful baseball disease: ALS, otherwise known as the Lou Gehrig’s disease in June of 2015. The month before he had fallen while answering the phone, breaking his hip. Then in the hospital, he developed aspiration pneumonia. Tests showed he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that leads to progressive degeneration of the motor neutrons. Trudith even wrote about her day scouting for the Mariiners for the Canadian Baseball Network. However, Trudith, like her husband, failed to file her reports to the head office in Mississauga.

Wayne Norton checks the gun reading as he and his wife Trudy double-team a UBC game last spring. Photo: Wilson Wong.

* * *

Norton’s love of Canadians, Baseball Canada and his country was one the reasons the Mariners sit second among all-time bonuses of $100,000 paid to Canadians. We can’t track every $5,000 or $10,000 bonus, but we think we have everyone who reached six figures.

Since 1991, the Mariners have spent were $5,557,500 (the most going to Gareth Morgan, Phillippe Aumont, Tyler O’Neill) among the more than $100,000.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are No. 1 at $6,905,000. The San Diego Padres are next ($5,327,045), followed by the Baltimore Orioles ($5,291,800) and the Atlanta Braves ($3,787,700). Canada’s team, the Blue Jays sit 11th ($2,202,500).

* * *“He was truly one of the really good ones. It brings back memories of some of the incredible times I shared with him. I will really miss him.” _ Walt Burrows (Brentwood Bay, BC), Twins scout.

“Wayne was a great mentor. First met him when I was 15. He was always positive and supportive. Truly a great scout and even a better person.” _ Doug Mathieson (Aldergrove, BC), Arizona Diamondbacks.

“Sure wish I could have one more talk with him. I have talked with him every week or two for 16 years.” _ Les McTavish (Vauxhall, Alta.)

“Wayne always used to say ‘don’t call me an old man, I’m younger than Zuk.’ He was a great friend.” _ Murray Zuk (Souris, Man.) San Diego Padres scout.

“This is indeed a sad day for Baseball in Canada. We have lost a real good friend A excellent baseball person. Scouting will not be the same without Wayne. When I first started in this business the first person I met was Wayne at the NBI office in Vancouver. He really helped me explaining to me the reasons for the existence of the program. Ever since that day whe have remain friends and kept in touch. R I P Wayne.” _ Claude Pelletier (St-Lazare, Que.), New York Mets.

“Really sad news, Wayne is going to be missed by everyone in the Canadian baseball community. The simplest way to put it, Wayne was the best. He was the gold standard for scouting in Canada. If you were fortunate enough to work alongside him, and sit in those ballparks with him, then you couldn’t help but learn something from him. Wayne needed a lift from Vauxhall to Calgary after an indoor workout, and it was a terrible snowstorm. Funny thing, I don’t remember a thing about the drive, I was lost in stories about his playing days, what he looks for in players, his days scouting players in Europe, that’s what scouting is all about.”” _ Jamie Lehman (Brampton, Ont.), Blue Jays.

“When I first started in scouting, Wayne was someone I looked up to and listened to when he spoke. I enjoyed listening to him talk about scouting. Some things he said have stuck with me to this day.” _ Matt Higginson (Oakville, Ont.) Oakland A’s.

“So sorry to hear about Wayne.” _ Lonnie Goldberg, scouting director, Kansas City Royals, former Canadian scout based in Guelph when he worked for the Braves.

“So sad to hear. Wayne was such a good guy. He was a pioneer and mentor for scouts in Canada we all owe him a lot and he is the reason we have jobs in this game. He was someone you wanted to be around because of his knowledge and love of baseball and the people who were involved. R.I.P Wayne and thanks for all your help and friendship over the years.” _ Alex Agostino (Montreal, Que.) Philadelphia Phillies.

“That’s bad news!!! I never met Wayne but heard so many great things about him that I feel I knew him!!.” _ Rob Thomson (Stratford, Ont.), Phillies bench coach.

“Wayne Norton never missed a beat or looked for anyone’s sympathy. That walker made its way to all of our Junior National Team Camps in Florida and tryout camps across Canada. Despite his incredibly challenging physical struggles, Nort showed us all what it means to be completely committed and truly love the game. “ - Greg Hamilton (Ottawa, Ont.), Baseball Canada.

“A few years back, when Wayne was no longer driving, We were watching the Prairie Baseball Academy finish up in Las Vegas. A bunch of us were heading to LA to pick up UBC. Wayne had made arrangements with Walt to hitch a ride but something came up and Walt needed to stay. I offered to drive Wayne from Vegas to LA. On that drive he shared countless stories of his exploits in scouting over the years. The Wild West days of scouting that has been forgotten my may and experience by few. What a great experience to hear those stories that are really part of the history of our home industry. I will be forever grateful to Wayne for sharing his memories with me. Sorry for the lengthy response. Hard to sum up Wayne with few words.” _ Jay Lapp (London, Ont.) Toronto Blue Jays.

“I am very saddened to hear that Wayne passed away. My deepest condolences go out to his wife Trudy, and the rest of his family. Wayne positively impacted the game of baseball, especially in Canada, as a player, coach, administrator and scout, enough to earn him a well deserved induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. He played a major role in the creation and administering of the National Baseball Institute, a program I was fortunate enough to be a part of as both a player and coach from 1989-1995. Because of Wayne, our head coach, John Haar, other coaches and staff, several players across Canada were provided the opportunity to improve their skills in a high quality program, and continue their post-secondary education while doing so. I benefitted greatly from this program, both on and off of the field, and have Wayne, amongst many other people, to thank for it. I will miss seeing and talking to Wayne. We always had good conversations and I learned a lot from him over the years. I am very grateful to have been mentored by him, and to have been his friend.” _ Kevin Briand (Toronto Ont.) Blue Jays.

“I first got to know Wayne at NBI where he was the mastermind behind the program that gave a chance to a lot of Canadian players to better their development and have careers. Then as a scout where we traveled and watched numerous games together. Wayne was a great person always thinking of others before himself. The baseball world will miss him. Thank you Wayne.” _ Denis Boucher (Laval, Que.), New York Yankees.

“Sad to read of Wayne’s passing. It was a sad reflection. As I said to one of our people, “a great “baseball” man but more than that, a great man period. We lost one of the truly good ones. Wayne was a real gentleman over all these years. Always friendly, always encouraging, never condescending or negative. Tender mercies I suppose given his horrible illness. Have been reflecting in great Thornton Wilder line as a lot of our loved ones are getting old: ‘There is a land of the living ... And a land of the dead ... And the bridge (between the two) is love’” _ John Ircandia (Calgary, Alta.), founding director Okotoks Dawgs.

“Wayne was the first person I met in the road as a scout. He was with the NBI and took care of my very first trip out as a scout. I didn’t know where to stay and he took care of everything which meant a lot on my first trip. He was a great guy and the kids loved him.” _ Bill Byckowski (Georgetown, Ont.) Cincinnnati Reds.

“I was scouting my first MLB Bureau camp in Mississauga. The first two scouts I met were Bob Smythe, and Wayne Norton. Right from the start Wayne was somebody that always helped me or invited me to lunch at any event that we were at. He certainly didn’t have to as we worked for different organizations. What impressed me about Wayne is that nobody out worked him, not even Jim Ridley. Wayne knew everybody and everybody knew Wayne. More importantly everybody respected Wayne. My sympathies to the Norton family.” _ John Milton, Ontario Terriers.

"I first dealt with Wayne when I was an assistant coach and was seeking all the help I could get. Who would know that all these years later we would have worked together at Baseball BC, Baseball Canada and the NBI. He truly was a pioneer in the development of the game in this country. His early coaching manuals are still the basis of what we use today, and so many of us including players, coaches and administrators have been touched and influenced by Wayne. He was my friend and I will miss him. Baseball will miss him.” _ Former Baseball Canada president Ray Carter (Tsawwassen, BC)

“Wayne spearheaded, along with John Haar, the National Baseball Institute. I remember one of my first days at the NBI, when Wayne grabbed all the outfielders and took us all out to CF and gave us an outfielding clinic like no tomorrow. Talking about how to get jumps on batted balls by learning to take pride during batting practice at reading ball flight off the bat. He would be right beside you, his arm hanging over your shoulder and getting us to lean ever so slightly as the ball came off the bat. He was a major influence on so many of us as he and John (Haar), ran the program. Great man, great baseball ambassador and great eye for baseball talent. He will be dearly missed. Thanks Wayne for your patience and guidance.” _ Rick Johnston (Peterborough, Ont.) The Baseball Zone/Ontario Terriers.

“I crossed paths with Wayne when scouting the Canadian National Team. He was a great credit to the scouting community. He worked hard, signed good players, and did it with integrity and professionalism.” _ Tom Burns (Harrisburg, PA) Major League Scouting Bureau.

“I’ll never forget my first interaction with Wayne Norton. He called me about an amateur (OF Nathan DeSouza) and one of his first questions was “Do you think he will be happy being a professional player?” I thought to myself of course. Later that week I saw him in person and he asked me again “Do you think he will be happy?” At this point I had to ask him what exactly he meant? He responded with “you get one chance at life Mike and I don’t ever want to take a young man away from living his life by drafting him.” I was taken back that someone who had been around the game this long was so sincere about someone’s well being that he had just met. I was lucky to be around Wayne Norton for 8-9 years and every time he would call me by name, wish me well and wish my family well. I’m going to miss him. He left a lasting impression on my life and the world lost an amazing man. He loved his wife and his family beyond words. He loved life and my thoughts go out to his loved ones. May you Rest In Peace, Wayne.” _ Mike Bonanno (Burlington, Ont.) player agent.

“Will always appreciate Wayne’s support when I was a young player and friendship over the years in scouting. He was the only one who ever called me ‘Steverino.’ He gave me part time work during Christmas breaks at the Baseball BC offices when I came home for vacations from the University of Portland. It’s too bad the NBI program came a little after me but it sure did a lot for baseball and young players with dreams to keep playing in Canada. It is something that helped turn our Junior National Team with Greg Hamilton’s leadership into an excellent development program.” _ Steve Wilson (Victoria, BC) New York Yankees, International Cross Checker/Pacific Rim Supervisor.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Wayne Norton after a courageous battle with ALS. Wayne was as good a baseball man as they came, having a huge impact on Canadian Baseball as both a coach and scout. Our deepest condolences to his wife Trudy, daughter Beth and son Steven along with Wayne’s three grandchildren.” _ Baseball Canada statement.

“Wayne spent over 50 years in pro ball as a player, coach and scout. He was responsible for thousands of young players in Canada having the opportunity to grow through the game, and for hundreds of young players having a chance to play professionally. More than that, he was truly one of the great gentlemen in the game. Our thoughts tonight are with his wife Trudy, daughter Beth, son Steven and three grandchildren.” _ ” said Mariners Vice President of Scouting Tom Allison.

“I've never been around a scout who knew his players, families and coaches as well as Wayne Norton. He was one ‘tough customer.’ An icon in Canada. When you went to see the players that Wayne turned in from Canada you got the feeling they turned it up a notch when they saw Wayne in the ballpark. The respect the players, families, coaches and opposing Scouts had for Wayne was remarkable. He was a friend and mentor to all of us. We were the lucky ones to have worked along side of Wayne. When I was hired by the Mariners as scouting director in 2008 it took me exactly one meeting with Wayne to know that I never had to worry about having Canada covered.” _ Tom McNamara, Mariners Special Assistant to the GM.“

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of 2016 inductee Wayne Norton. Wayne was a Canadian baseball pioneer and one of the most respected voices our country has ever had. He was a skilled player, a trailblazing coach and a relentlessly excellent scout. In recent years, as he battled ALS with strength, courage and dignity, he was a true inspiration. We would like to extend our condolences to his wife Trudy and his family.” _ Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame statement."

Most folks who have been involved with European baseball knew Wayne Norton. He was a fixture in that world, signing players from across the continent for the Mariners. RIP Wayne. https://t.co/0VZh2TLW4j

I've often wished I could be more like 2016 Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Wayne Norton - a strong and trailblazing leader, an astute talent evaluator and a courageous and inspirational man, husband and father. To me, he was the soul of Canadian baseball. RIP to a great man. pic.twitter.com/gxBOXvn7xG

"We are saddened to learn of the passing of 2016 inductee Wayne Norton. Wayne was a Canadian baseball pioneer and one of the most respected baseball voices our country has ever had. We would like to extend our condolences to his wife Trudy and his family." pic.twitter.com/KjE7oaQphh

* * *Norton is one of three men in the 24-year history of the Canadian Baseball Network Scout of the Year honour -- renamed after Ridley in 2009 -- to win the award twice. He won in 1998 with the Orioles and in 2014 with the M’s. The others are Doug Mathieson (Aldergrove, BC) in 2011 with the Minnesota Twins and 2016 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Ridley himself in 2004 and 2009 with the Twins).

Few people saw the Canadian Junior National Team play more often than Norton. Coach Greg Hamilton (Ottawa, Ont.) would be one, Walt Burrows (Brentwood Bay, BC), formerly of the Major League Scouting Bureau, and now with the Minnesota Twins and Murray Zuk (Souris, Man.) of San Diego Padres and the senior member of the Canadian scouting committee would be it.

Norton saw every workout at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. or a Bureau camp in Welland or Trudeau Park in Montreal.

His roots with Baseball Canada and the junior program are much deeper than that. After playing over 1,200 games in the minors (in the New York Yankees, Kansas City A’s and Oakland A’s systems) he established Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team. He told us once the idea game from a badminton player he met who played for the Junior National Team.

Badminton anyone? Why not a feeder system for baseball.

Norton was a long-time coach and manager for Baseball Canada, doubling as a part-time scout for the Montreal Expos. He managed Canada’s Pan Am Games team in 1975, prior to helping to launch Baseball BC two years later. In the same decade he was writing the do's and don't for coaches across Canada.

After leaving the NBI in 1994, Norton evolved into one of Canada’s most respected scouts. He worked for the Baltimore Orioles from 1996 to 1999 working for his lifelong friend Pat Gillick. Then he followed Gillick to the Mariners in 2000.

Gillick was on his way to Vancouver to visit his friend through Chicago when he called the hospital and found out the news.

* * *Norton won Canadian Baseball Network scout of the year the first time in 1998 working the Orioles. The O’s were non factors north of the border but Gillick and Norton drafted six players that June: 3B Tim Nelson (Calgary, Alta.) Allan Hancock Junior College, seventh round; RHP Dustin Emberly (Weyburn, Sask.) 10th; RP Denis Gratton (Kitchener, Ont.) of the Ontario Blue Jays, 18th; RHP Jason Mandryk (Langton, Ont.) of the London juveniles, 26th; RHP Marc-Andre Houle (Terrebonne, Que.), of Des Moines Community College, 39th and OF Brock Ralph (Raymond, Alta.) 43rd.

_ With the Orioles he selected outfielder Ntema Ndungidi (Montreal, Que.) from the ABC 36th over-all and gave him a $500,000 US signing bonus. Ndungidi played seven seasons getting as high as double-A.

_ He grabbed outfielder Michael Saunders (Victoria, BC) in the 11th round and signed free-agent outfielder Gregory Halman from Haarlem in The Netherlands in 2004.

_ He signed free agent Alex Liddi from Sanremo, Italy in 2005.

_ As he and Engle chose RHP Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.) 11th overall in 2007. Aumont, who received a $1.9 million bonus, was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies, along with Tyson Gillies (Vancouver, BC) a Norton pick the year before in the 25th round and J.C. Ramirez in 2009 for Cliff Lee. Norton was named was named the Mariners International Scout of the Year in 2007,

_ After the Jays drafted and failed to sign Kentucky LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC) in 2009, Norton was in on the selection process as Paxton was scooped in the fourth round from the Grand Prairie AirHogs of the independent American Association the next season.

_ He was in South Africa in 2010 signing RHP Dylan Unsworth of Durban. A former double-A Southern League All-Star, he combined to go 9-9 with a 3.30 ERA in 22 starts, walking 22 and striking out 90 in 128 1/3 innings at triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and the double-A Arkansas Travelers.

_ He selected Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) the top high school hitter in the third round in 2013, now a St. Louis Cardinals prospect, and Lachlan Fontaine (North Vancouver, BC) in the 12th.

_ He drafted Gareth Morgan (North York, Ont.) as the top high schooler in (74th over-all in North America) 2014. Then GM Jack Zduriencik and scout Tom McNamara gave the Ontario Blue Jays outfielder a $2 million US signing bonus, which roughly equalled slot money for the 20th over-all pick.

_ In 2016 Norton was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys along with former Jay Pat Hentgen and former Expos hurler Dennis Martinez, long-time Blue Jays executive Howard Starkman (Toronto, Ont.), Jays TV analyst Tony Kubek and pioneer William Shuttleworth (Brantford, Ont.).

_ And this year with Saint Trudith and his friend of 50 years Ian Dickson he threw out the first pitch at Safeco before the Mariners met the Cleveland Indians. James Paxton caught the strike. While major league owners are treatiing scouts like used furniture, the Mariners should be congratulated for treating a man who had spent his life in baseball with respect. We can think of a few bottom-line front offices that would not have acted in such a kind matter.

OF Christopher Acosta-Tapia (Laval, Que.) of the Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles was the NAIA player of the year in 2017 as well as Canadian Baseball Network Player of the Year. Now, he’s one of three Canadians with the eighth-ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles coming off a 51-12 season.

Acosta-Tapia is one of 22 Canadian players and one coach on the rosters of the top-ranked 30 NAIA teams.

INF John Lantigua (Quebec City, Que.)

Besides Acosta-Tapia, INF John Lantigua (Quebec City, Que.) and RHP Claudio Ortiz (Montreal, Que.) are also with Oklahoma Wesleyan. Lantigua hit .330 at Western Oklahoma last spring with nine doubles, a triple, 14 homers, 46 RBIs and a 1.253 OPS. Ortiz was 5-3 with a 5.63 ERA at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. He walked 20 and struck out 44 in 40 innings.

Among Canadian hitters, Acosta-Tapia led with 105 hits, two more than Connors State’s Max Hewitt; 27 doubles, one more than New Mexico 1B Ryan Rijo (Barrie, Ont.), 24 homers, three more than Frank Phillips’ Brett Esau (Meadow Lake, Sask.). Acosta-Tapia was third in RBIs, six back of Midland’s Eric Senior (Toronto, Ont.).

Acosta-Tapia, who played for the Bisons de Saint-Eustache and coach Luc Desgroseilliers this summer, earned Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian team Second Team honours at DH in 2016. He also played for the Guerriers de Granby and coach Deibiz Gomez.

The final numbers of Acosta-Tapia were impressive: a .441 average, 27 doubles, two triples, 24 homers and 85 RBIs in 63 games.

LHP Dylan Thorp (North Vancouver, BC) is with the No. 3 ranked Bellevue Bruins. Thorp is 2-1 with one save and a 4.73 ERA in 16 games. He walked 17 and fanned 31 in 26 innings.

OF Tristan Clarke (Brampton, Ont.) transferred from the New Orleans Privateers where he was a Canadian Baseball Network 2017 Honourable Mention. Now, he is with the No. 5 ranked Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs. Clarke had 13 doubles, three triples, 10 homers, 43 RBIs, while hitting .293 with a .893 OPS.

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Rob Refsnyder began the 2017 season with the New York Yankees. The Blue Jays acquired the 26-year-old infielder at the end of July for minor leaguer Ryan McBroom. He was initially assigned to the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, but was called up on July 29 after Troy Tulowitzki was injured, and stayed with the big-league club for the duration of the season.

Refsnyder’s first hit with his new team (and his only extra-base hit) was a double, in his second game, on July 30. He also took a walk that day. He started a few more games at the beginning of August, but only collected one more hit and two walks across the first 16 at-bats of the month. Against the Pirates on August 11, he went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts. He rebounded the next day to go 3-for-4.

Manager John Gibbons started the right-handed Refsnyder against lefty pitching, but got into the habit of pulling him once the starting pitcher left the game. Other times Refsnyder was used as a pinch-runner, or entered the game defensively in place of someone who had already been pinch-hit for. He batted .212/.297/.212 in 33 at-bats in August with 5 strikeouts, 3 walks, and two stolen bases.

With roster expansion in September, Refsnyder saw even less playing time. He had just 12 at-bats over 11 games, and never had more than two plate appearances in a game. On September 5, during a 19-inning game in Boston, Refsnyder was thrown out stealing as the third out of the top of the 18th inning. It was the only time he would be thrown out all year. He only collected two hits (both singles) in September, for a batting average and slugging percentage of .167, and walked three times for an OBP of .231.

Refsnyder hit .196/.281/.216 in 51 at-bats with the Jays. He also struck out nine times and walked five, for a BB/K ratio of 0.56. Defensively, he was all over the field. He played 111 innings at second base, four innings split over two games at first base, four innings in left field over two games, and one full game in right field. He made three errors while at second base, for a fielding percentage of .957 at the position. He also turned eight double plays as a second baseman. He was error-free in three total chances in the outfield (all came in right) and was never required to make a play at first.

Contract Status:

Refsnyder is no longer with Toronto. He was claimed off waivers by Cleveland on November 20th.

Regular Season Grades:

Jay Blue: Incomplete

Emily: D (Small Sample Size)

Follow me on Twitter: @JaysGirlEmily

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

After struggling with the Toronto Blue Jays for much of 2017, left-hander Francisco Liriano was dealt to the Houston Astros.

By Wesley James

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

In his first start of 2017, Francisco Liriano looked into the Tampa Bay crowd with a quizzical look on his face. Like a Jedi whose powers were working against him, Liriano couldn’t find the strike zone. Every pitch approached the plate and then veered off, sometimes well off the plate. After four walks, five hits, and one strike out, the Blue Jays mercifully pulled him. His ERA for the day stood at 135.00. The rest of his season was better - but that’s not saying much.

Liriano is as unpredictable as his pitches. When the 2017 season started, some had Liriano as a possible American League Cy Young winner. He ended the season in the bullpen as a lefty specialist for the Houston Astros - with a World Series ring he didn’t do much to earn. But even that fact highlights the contradictory nature of Lirano’s career.

Liriano treated Blue Jays fans to every side of his pitching style during his time in Toronto. After he was traded to Toronto in 2016 from the Pittsburgh Pirates, he was exceptional, arriving just as Toronto was attempting to curtail the number of innings they wanted Aaron Sanchez to pitch. Liriano stepped in and clocked a 2.92 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP over eight starts, topping it off with a clean 1 2/3 innings in relief of Marcus Stroman in the 2016 AL Wild Card game.

In 2017, Liriano traded in that 147 ERA+ performance for a below average 80 ERA+ while pitching to a 5.66 ERA and a WHIP just north of 1.60. As a result he was traded to the Houston Astros for Teoscar Hernandez. In Houston, he fared only slightly better, pitching to a 4.40 ERA in 20 games, entirely out of the bullpen.

Twice in his career Liriano has won the Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award. The first time was in 2010 while with the Minnesota Twins, following a long road back from Tommy John surgery. The second time was in 2013 while with the Pittsburgh Pirates, following a long battle with control. Liriano primarily throws a sinker/slider combination with a changeup. And those pitches are electric with a lot of late movement, whether he finds the strike zone or not.

Despite the ups and downs in his career there was a lot of hope in the spring of 2017 that Liriano’s control issues were behind him. In 2013, Pittsburgh Pirate pitching coach Ray Searage - who has made a name for himself reviving pitching careers and mechanics, including those of J.A. Happ, A.J. Burnett, Charlie Morton, Edinson Volquez and others - adjusted Lirano’s delivery. For the next three seasons Liriano was a key piece of the Pirates’ rotation, never pitching above a 3.50 ERA. But in 2016 something went wrong and by the end of July 2016 Liriano sported an ERA of 5.46, over 2 points higher than the previous three years. As a result he was traded to the Blue Jays, along with prospects Reese McGuire and Harold Ramirez, in exchange for Drew Hutchison. Liriano improved almost immediately and credit was handed out to both Russell Martin - both for his framing and pitch calling - and pitching coach Pete Walker. Between spring of 2013 and the 2016 playoffs there was only that four month stretch of inconsistency in early 2016. Optimism was palpable for a career season in 2017.

So, why was 2017 so bad?

That’s a tricky one. At 34 years old his body might just be on the wrong side of the aging curve. But a more interesting explanation could be the use of a pitch he’s not known for throwing.

In 2016, Liriano threw a lot more four-seam fastballs. Following his arrival in Toronto, his four-seam fastball use increased from 1.9 percent in 0-0 counts to 7.2 percent, peaking at almost 13 percent in September. With all the movement on his breaking pitches it made sense to revert to a four-seam fastball that breaks little, especially in certain counts and if he was struggling with control. This also set up the rest of his pitches differently as he increased the use of his changeup and decreased the use of his sinker. In 2017 he threw only five four-seam fastballs total for the entire year and reduced the use of his changeup. For some reason he didn’t feel that his fastball was part of the solution.

Whatever the magic potion is for Liriano’s control issues moving forward, it won’t be found in a single answer. The Astros have apparently discussed re-signing him but it might take a lot of injuries for him to get another long term look as a starter. His career numbers against lefties are impressive and with a 222/.297/.306 slash line against south paws he might see the latter end of his career as primarily a bullpen piece.

Contract Status

Free Agent

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: C-Emily: CWesley James: C-

Follow me on Twitter: @WesleyJBaseball

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

TORONTO - Only days shy of the first official pitchers and catchers workout in Dunedin, the Toronto Blue Jays and free agent right-hander John Axford have come to terms on a minor league deal that includes an invite to big-league camp.

MLB on FOX reporter Ken Rosenthal was the first to report the deal.

Axford, 34, has appeared in parts of nine MLB seasons and joins the Blue Jays having recorded a career ERA of 3.74 with 144 saves across 493 big league assignments dating back to his rookie campaign with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2009.

With a four-seam fastball that touched 98 mph at times during the 2017 season, the 6-foot-5 native of Port Dover, Ont., also utilizes both a curveball and cutter while predominantly working off of a sinker. The latter has helped him convert an overall ground ball rate of 50.1% while limiting opposing batters to a 0.84 HR/9% over his well-traveled career in the Show.

In the last half of his two-year, $10M contract with the Oakland Athletics, the Canisius graduate appeared in 22 games and recorded a WHIP of 2.095 while walking 17 batters and allowing 15 earned runs over 21 innings pitched prior to being released on August 1.

Looking to bounce back from his recent West Coast woes, the Blue Jays will become Axford's seventh MLB organization joining Milwaukee, St. Louis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Colorado, and Oakland, respectively.

- Follow Andrew Hendriks on Twitter (@77hendriks)

]]>Canadian Axford signs with Blue Jayshttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/report-canadian-axford-signs-with-blue-jaysBMOC III: Bedard, Clay, Hendra-Brown, Paradis-Giroux, Scott BMOCBob ElliottFri, 09 Feb 2018 11:26:48 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/Tq9fvjR6L08/bmoc-iii-bedard-clay-hendra-brown-mailloux-paradis-giroux-scott54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a7d4b1be2c4835168f58967<img class="thumb-image" alt="baseball.jpg" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d5384e2c4835168f66fc7/1518162968234/baseball.jpg" data-image-dimensions="804x555" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5a7d5384e2c4835168f66fc7" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d5384e2c4835168f66fc7/1518162968234/baseball.jpg?format=1000w" />
<p>Matthew Clay (Port Moody, BC), left, and Owen Lusztig (North Vancouver, BC), shown here with the Coquitlam Reds of the BC Premier League, have been making an impact with the Monterey Peninsula College Lobos.</p><p><strong>Big Man On Campus Week 3</strong></p><p><strong>By Matt Betts<br />Canadian Baseball Network</strong></p><p>The college season continued last week and it included big games for a number of Canadians. From impressive pitching performances to impactful offensive games the past week was a good one. The top performances are highlighted below.</p><p>Morris has monstrous game</p><p>The Crowder College Roughriders may have only had one game on the schedule but Kobe Morris (Victoria, BC) made the most of it. In a 16-9 victory over Labette Community College he reached base six times, thanks to a 3-for-3 day at the plate with a trio of walks. Two of his hits came courtesy of the long ball. By the end of the game he had driven in four runs, scored four times and even showed off the wheels by swiping a base. Morris earned Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian Second Team honours last season after hitting .384 with 15 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, 65 RBIs and a 1,091 OPS. Crowder was ranked No. 6 in the 2018 Perfect Game/Rawlings Junior College Top 50 coming into the year.</p><p><br /><strong>Trogrlic-Iverson picks up first win</strong></p><p>Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (Oakville, Ont.) tossed five scoreless innings to help Central Arizona blank Gateway Community College 5-0. Trogrlic-Iverson gave up just a pair of hits and two walks, while striking out six in picking up his first win of the young season. Trogrlic-Iverson is No. 3 on Perfect Game’s Top 150 JUCO prospects list.</p>
<img class="thumb-image" alt="Dany Paradis-Giroux (Lavis, Que.) picked up a win for Williams Woods." data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d55758165f5831f7dda48/1518163324886/3b13cd51581bf0d12227b4191048a9d3_p_vi_34395_1454613415.jpg" data-image-dimensions="601x401" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5a7d55758165f5831f7dda48" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d55758165f5831f7dda48/1518163324886/3b13cd51581bf0d12227b4191048a9d3_p_vi_34395_1454613415.jpg?format=1000w" />
<p>Dany Paradis-Giroux (Lavis, Que.) picked up a win for Williams Woods.</p>
<p><strong>Canadians take the ball for William Woods, one picks up win</strong></p><p>It wasn’t a great weekend for William Woods University as they dropped 3-of-4 to Blue Mountain College but it was Dany Paradis-Giroux (Lavis, Que.) who helped them to their lone win. The righthander worked five innings in a 5-3, Game 2 win, scattering six hits and two runs. He struck out eight to cap his outing. The Owls handed the ball to another Canadian in Game 3 of their series with Blue Mountain College. Taran Oulton (St. Albert, Alta.) allowed just two runs over six innings but it wasn’t enough as his team dropped a 2-0 decision. He allowed seven hits, a walk and struck out five.</p><p><strong>Clay has five hits</strong></p><p>Matthew Clay (Port Moody, BC) went 4-for-5 and drove in a run in Monterey Peninsula’s second game of the week, a 14-6 wim over Laney, while Owen Lusztig (North Vancouver, BC) had a pair of hits.. Clay added an RBI double the game before in an 8-3 win over San Francisco.</p><p><strong>Hooge reaches in all four</strong></p><p>The week ended with seven hits for Jaxson Hooge (Calgary, Alta.) despite his Tabor College Blue Jays coming away with only one win in four games. In Game 1, a 4-2 loss, he stroked a double, walked and drove in a run. He doubled again against Lindsey Wilson in an 8-1 loss. Next up was 17th-ranked Clarke University. The Blue Jays dropped the contest 10-8 but Hooge had himself a nice game going 2-for-4 with a walk, a triple and two RBIs. The final game of the weekend and only win featured Hooge’s best performance. In the 8-4 win over LSU Alexandria he went 4-for-4 with another double and triple, driving in three. Tabor College was picked 2nd in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference preseason polls.</p>
<img class="thumb-image" alt="Connor Stevenson (Keswick, Ont.)" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d55fe419202218ceddf30/1518163460037/connnor.jpg" data-image-dimensions="980x555" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5a7d55fe419202218ceddf30" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d55fe419202218ceddf30/1518163460037/connnor.jpg?format=1000w" />
<p>Connor Stevenson (Keswick, Ont.)</p>
<p><strong>Dimitroff with home run, six hits</strong></p><p>Senior Bryce Dimitroff (Hamilton, Ont.) went 2-for-6 with a double and two RBIs for East Central University in their season opening 11-7 loss to Southwest Baptist. The Tigers got in the win column in Game 2 with a 17-14 win. Dimitroff had a hit, a walk and a RBI in the victory. His best game came in Game 3, an 18-8 loss. He went 2-for-4 at the plate with a three-run home run. He chipped in with a hit and a walk in the final game of the series, a third loss of the series for the Tigers. Infielder Connor Stevenson (Keswick, Ont.) also had a fine week for the Tigers as he went 5-for-16 with two walks and two RBIs.</p><p><strong>Fonseca keeps getting better</strong></p><p>Trevor Fonseca (West Vancouver, BC) kept getting better with each passing game. It started with a hit in Cypress’ 9-5 loss to Palomar. In their next game Fonseca went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and scored four runs in a 20-1 thumping of College of the Desert. Cypress again brought the bats against San Bernadino Valley beating them by a 26-5 score. In that one Fonseca went 5-for-5 with two walks, three RBIs and scoring another four runs.</p><p><strong>Marklund records save, Scott has four hits</strong></p><p>Brandon Marklund (North Vancouver, BC) made two appearances for Bryan as they swept their opening weekend with a pair of wins against Rio Grande and another pair against #18 Northwest Ohio. Canadian teammate Tyler Scott (Calgary, Alta.) went 4-for-11 with three walks and two RBIs in the four wins.</p>
<img class="thumb-image" alt="Alex Bedard (Levis, Que." data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d56a48165f5831f7dfac8/1518163627004/Be%CC%81dard.jpg" data-image-dimensions="820x1000" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5a7d56a48165f5831f7dfac8" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d56a48165f5831f7dfac8/1518163627004/Be%CC%81dard.jpg?format=1000w" />
<p>Alex Bedard (Levis, Que.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Bedard, Langlois combine for eight hits</strong></p><p>It was two Canadians powering the offence for Trinidad State Community College last week. Alex Bedard (Levis, Que.) had four hits as the Trojans split a four-game set with Garden City Community College. Xavier Langlois (Varennes, Que.) also had four hits that was highlighted by a 3-for-4 performance in Game 2 of the series.</p><p><strong>Barclay battles Canadian counterparts</strong></p><p>Tyrus Barclay (Wyoming, Ont.) was staring back at Bedard and Langlois from the other dugout during their series last week. Barclay went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and three RBIs for Garden City Community College in Game 1 of their series with Trinidad State. After walking twice in Game 2 he went 2-for-3 with three RBIs in Game 3.</p><p><strong>Swift leads William Jessup to sweep</strong></p><p>William Jessup University and Austen Swift (Toronto, Ont.) came away with a sweep of #8 Hope International this past week. First up, however, was a midweek game with Simpson. The Warriors won that contest 19-1 behind a 3-for-3 game from Swift. He worked a walk and drove in two in the drubbing. In Game 1 of their series with Hope International Swift used a 2-for-4 game with a pair of RBIs to lead his team to an 8-2 win. Game 2 also went the way of the Warriors by a 7-4 score. Swift went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a hit by pitch and a RBI. He had another two hits, a walk, a hit by pitch and three RBIs to help his team complete the sweep in a convincing 9-1 win. One of his two hits in the finale was a solo home run in the first inning. Swift hit .692 on the week and the Warriors improved to 9-3.</p>
<img class="thumb-image" alt="Alex Hendra-Brown (Victoria, BC)" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d570e8165f5831f7e0554/1518163735956/tUIlEqBT.jpg" data-image-dimensions="400x400" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5a7d570e8165f5831f7e0554" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d570e8165f5831f7e0554/1518163735956/tUIlEqBT.jpg?format=1000w" />
<p>Alex Hendra-Brown (Victoria, BC)</p>
<p><strong>Hendra-Brown with two, three hit games</strong></p><p>Hits came in bunches for Alex Hendra-Brown (Victoria, BC) of Linfield College last week. In Game 1 of their series with California Lutheran he went 3-for-4 with a RBI in an 8-7 win. Later in the week against Occidental he again went 3-for-4 with a double in another victory.</p><p><strong>Cienfuegos with six hits, Raiders improve to 6-1</strong></p><p>Miguel Cienfuegos (Laval, Que.) had two hits and three RBIs in a 9-1 Northwest Florida State Community College win over Enterprise State Community College to start the week. Next up was two straight against East Mississippi Community College and Cienfuegos had a hit in the first one, a 6-0 win and a hit, a walk and a RBI in a 4-0 triumph. He closed the week with another two hit performance, while also driving in a run and swiping a base as the Raiders again took down Enterprise State.</p><p><strong>Pepper picks up win</strong></p><p>It was a solid start for Jordan Pepper (Seaforth, Ont.) as he allowed just two hits over four innings to pick up the win for the Saints of Seward County over Galveston College. He gave up three runs, all unearned, walked two and struck out three.</p><p><strong>Mailloux races to victory</strong></p><p>Olivier Mailloux (Ville de Quebec, Que.) earned the win for the University of Northwestern Ohio Racers over Rio Grande. He worked 4 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits and one run with three punch outs.</p>
<img class="thumb-image" alt="Danny Berg (Saskatoon, Sask.)" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d579d8165f5831f7e131d/1518163875056/static1.squarespace.jpg" data-image-dimensions="590x590" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5a7d579d8165f5831f7e131d" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a7d579d8165f5831f7e131d/1518163875056/static1.squarespace.jpg?format=1000w" />
<p>Danny Berg (Saskatoon, Sask.)</p>
<p><strong>Berg battles for Polk State</strong></p><p>Six hits, two walks, two stolen bases and two RBIs from Danny Berg (Saskatoon, Sask.) helped lead Polk State Community College to a 2-2 week. Rhys Cratty (Surrey, BC) had four hits and Mitch Osborne (Lindsay, Ont.) chipped in three hits for the Eagles.</p><p><br /><strong>Preseason accolades</strong></p><p>Tristan Pompey (Toronto, Ont.) of the University of Kentucky Wildcats was named a Preseason First-Team All-American. He was a First-Team All-SEC and Third-Team All American in 2017 after hitting .361 during the ’17 season. Kentucky opens their slate Feb. 16 against Wofford.</p><p>Indiana University’s Matt Lloyd (Okotoks, Alta.) has been named a Second-Team Preseason All-American. Lloyd is a two-way player for the Hoosiers and posted a 2-3 record with nine saves and a 2.23 ERA on the mound while hitting .301 in 2017.</p><p>The 2018 college baseball season continues to roll on. Each week Canadians are putting on exciting performances for they schools. Check back next week to read all about the action.</p><p>If you know someone deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC column please contact Matt Betts at mattbetts41@gmail.com<br /> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~4/Tq9fvjR6L08" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/bmoc-iii-bedard-clay-hendra-brown-mailloux-paradis-giroux-scott2018 Canadians in College Canadians in CollegeBob ElliottFri, 09 Feb 2018 09:11:00 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/WipsfiUbY7U/2018-canadians-in-college-5kbxk54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a1904f79140b7c306ee62c5
Updated list of Canadians in College for the spring of 2018.

3B Mitch Robinson (Surrey, BC) is back with UBC for his senior year.

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball NetworkRHP Connor Noble (Vancouver, BC) who earned Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian Second Team honours in 2017, has graduated.

Yet, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds have four players returning who earned Canadian Baseball Network Honourable Mention.

3B Mitch Robinson (Surrey, BC) hit .356 with 10 doubles, twotriples, four homers, 35 RBIs and a .948 OPS in 37 games is back for his senior year.

The other honoured returnees are LHP Niall Windeler (Toronto, Ont.) who went 3-4 with a 3.08 ERA walking 17 and fanning 50 in 64 innings.

RP Christian Botnick (Brampton, Ont.) was 3-1 with three saves and a 1.24 ERA walking 10 and fanning 24 in 29 innings.

RP Patrick van den Brink (Surrey, BC) was 1-1 with three saves and a 1.19 ERA as he walked 25 and struck out 77 in 22 innings.

Vladimir Guerrero officially announced Jan. 25 that he wanted to enter the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown with an Angels’ halo instead of an Expos’ logo on his plaque but the seeds for this decision were planted long ago.

On Aug. 26, 2017, the Angels inducted Guerrero into their own Hall of Fame and from there on, Guerrero became more inclined to go into Cooperstown as an Angel. On Jan. 23, a day before the Cooperstown inductees were announced, Angels owner Arte Moreno and vice-president Tim Mead flew to New York in anticipation of the announcement that Guerrero would be elected.

“If you would have asked me, I would have guaranteed he was going in as an Angel. The deal was done between Arte Moreno, Major League Baseball and the Hall of Fame before the ballots were counted,’’ said Russ Hansen, an Expos/Angels fan and photo historian, who has befriended Guerrero over the years, both during the slugger’s time in Anaheim and in Montreal with the Expos.

“I think the deal was an agreed upon deal made last year when he was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame. It made sense. A minority owner in Arte, an Hispanic player in southern California, I get it. This will improve the Latin-Major League Baseball connection. Montreal could not help this agenda. Arte will sell thousands of shirts, jerseys, bobbleheads, hats, etc.’’

Moreno, like Guerrero, is Hispanic with his Mexican background so there was a bond between Moreno and Guerrero. And don’t forget: Guerrero has a home in Anaheim. He has no home in Montreal.

Following in the footsteps of Cooperstown and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame members Gary Carter, Andre Dawson and Tim Raines, Guerrero was signed, groomed, bred, developed and mentored by the Expos but he chose the Angels, likely because the Expos no longer exist and he was financially better off going with the Angels.

Was there a back room deal between the Angels, the Hall of Fame and Guerrero that he go in as an Angel? Was Guerrero paid money by Moreno to take the Angels’ logo? Nobody knows.

Hansen said he was “99% certain’’ that Guerrero has already been given a lifetime personal-services contract by Moreno and the Angels. The Angels vehemently denied that they had a personal services contract with Guerrero. They have only one and that is with future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols.

In a series of questions emailed to Mead about the circumstances, Mead declined to acknowledge the email. In an earlier email exchange, Mead told me that he was made aware that I had communicated with Hall president Jeff Idelson. One of the questions I directed to Mead was whether Guerrero was given a personal-services deal. He didn’t answer. Another question I posed to Mead was this: how long had the Angels known that Guerrero would indeed go in as an Angel?

Idelson added some backdrop to the situation by saying the Hall provides the guidance to each inductee as to what logo, if any, may be represented on his cap.

“In Vladdy’s case, we let him know that the Expos, Angels or no logo was acceptable, based on where his body of work was most dominant,’’ Idelson said in an email exchange. “The Hall of Fame always has the final say. We supported his decision to have an Angels’ logo.

“I know Vladdy struggled with it, but I think he articulated his reasoning well at his press conference. We supported his decision to have an Angels’ logo. Regardless, please remember that his time in Montreal and contributions to the Expos’ teams for whom he played will be a part of his plaque.’’

Idelson said there was no discussion with Moreno or any other Angels’ officials, who may have lobbied for Guerrero to have an Angels’ halo on his plaque, considering the franchise had never had a player or official inducted into Cooperstown.

“It would have been presumptuous of (Vlady and I) to have had that conversation ahead of his election to the Hall of Fame,’’ Idelson said.

Expos fan Sheldon Miller wondered if any attempt by Guerrero to go in as an Expo was “nixed’’ and is disheartened by what transpired.

“I have been surprised, dismayed and disappointed about Vlad’s induction as an Angel,’’ Miller said. “I was overjoyed when he did get inducted, not surprised obviously, but the turn of events made no sense to me. He had more everything in Montreal as compared to Anaheim. We do feel honoured that Montreal was part of Vladimir’s career. It would be nice to have the cherry on top that is deserving.’’

Miller took it upon himself to email the Hall of Fame to get up to speed on the rationale behind the decision by Guerrero to go in as an Angel.

“Since the bodies of work between the Expos and the Angels are very similar, the museum gives the electee a great deal of input into the decision,’’ Hall director of communications Craig Muder told Miller by email. “In addition to his MVP award, Vlad led the Angels to the post-season in five of his six years there.

“Of course, Montreal will be listed on his plaque -- along with all of the other teams Vlad played for. And on our website, his primary team is listed as the Expos, since he played the most games for them. This is also the case of other electees, such as Bruce Sutter, who played more games for the Cubs than any other team but has a Cardinals’ logo on his plaque since that’s where he made his most indelible mark.’’

Todd Hosler, another Expos’ fan in Chazy, N.Y., was as equally annoyed with Guerrero’s decision.

“I feel that Vladimir turned his back on an organization that recognized his talents in 1993,’’ Hosler said. “He was recognized from poverty and made his Montreal debut in 1996. His Expos’ career was longer and more productive than with any other hat on. The Angels adopted an Expo. It’s really perplexing. All I want to appeal to is the Wade Boggs Rule where the Hall decides the choice.’’

This scenario with Guerrero is brought up in light of the fact that one of his spokesmen, Jesse Guerrero, had told me Jan. 21 that the former slugger wanted to go into the Hall with an Expos’ logo, mere months after Jesse had been saying Vlad wanted an Angels’ halo. All confusing. The story I wrote raised the hopes of Expos’ fans all over. Why Jesse, one of Vlad’s handlers, would tell me the stuff about the Expos, I don’t know. And then all of a sudden, Vlad says he’s taking the Angels’ logo.

Jesse Guerrero gave Expos’ fans a false sense of hope with his comments, The story produced close to 200 likes, retweets and posts on Twitter and Facebook. The frustration for reporters like me is that a guy like Vlad cannot be interviewed because his English is far from fluent.

“Vladimir comes across as distant because he’s a very shy man. He doesn’t like to speak English at all,’’ Hansen said.

To his credit, Jesse, who is no relation to Vladimir, had been kind and cooperative with me on other stories for more than a year about Vlad and came across as sounding like a confidant, marketing agent and quasi-spokesman because the player declines to speak English or is not comfortable in English. Since the story came out, Jesse has declined to respond to text messages, emails and phone messages.

When he was a player, Vlad utilized Fernando Cuza as his agent for most of his contract negotiations so I emailed Cuza to see if he would talk but I got no reply. I remember sending Cuza an email last year and he didn’t respond.

From a financial standpoint, taking the Angels’ logo means more to Guerrero because it will result in more marketing opportunities and endorsements for him down the road. In Montreal, with no team there, what endorsements could he get there?

“Guerrero made the right decision,’’ an Expos fan offered on Facebook. “If the decision is narrow, I’d choose the team that still exists rather than a defunct organization. And I’m a Montrealer and I was a huge Expos fan.’’

Hansen saw Guerrero play hundreds of times for both the Expos and the Angels. So when the Windsor, Ont. resident and Canadian native found out Guerrero had chosen the Angels’ halo over the Expos’ logo for his Cooperstown plaque, he wasn’t upset.

After all, Hansen figures he probably saw Guerrero play at least 300 times at Anaheim Stadium and got to admire the Expos’ home brew up front and centre when he lived in southern California for years.

Hansen admired Guerrero so much that he had a licence plate made up that read:

Vlad 2B in CaliforniaExpos R Halo Heaven

Guerrero somehow found out about the plate so Hansen did something nice.

“Vlad really liked the plate so I had the front plate framed and he has it up in one of his homes in the Dominican Republic,’’ Hansen said. “I took a photocopy of the front plate and got Vladdy to sign it.’’

Right-hander Carlos Ramirez had a breakout season in the Toronto Blue Jays organization in 2017, going the entire minor league season without allowing an earned run. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Emily @JaysGirlEmily

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Carlos Ramirez was originally an outfielder when the Blue Jays signed him in 2009. He transitioned to pitching during the 2014 season, while still in the minors. His major league debut came this past season, as a part of the September call-ups. His first appearance came on September 1 in Baltimore. He pitched the 10th and 11th innings of a game the Blue Jays would go on to lose in the 13th. He struck out a pair in that game without allowing a baserunner.

Ramirez did something truly remarkable in the minor leagues this year - he went the entire season without allowing an earned run. Beginning in double-A New Hampshire, he pitched 23 2/3 innings with a 0.00 ERA (and two unearned runs), then followed that up with 14 innings in Buffalo before arriving in the majors, despite losing about two months to an injury. Perhaps even more impressively, this streak continued well into his September call-up. He was seven games in, with 10 innings under his belt, before he allowed a run in the majors. He had allowed just one hit and two walks up to that point, with nine strikeouts.

That eighth game was an absolute shelling on September 20 against Kansas City. The Jays were already trailing 9-0 when Ramirez entered to pitch the 6th. The leadoff batter hit a home run, snapping the streak, but things didn't end there. The next batter walked, and scored on a double. Two straight ground outs scored a run, and Mike Moustakas hit another home run before Ramirez got out of the inning with a strikeout. The damage: four earned runs, three hits and a walk.

After that, he pitched in four more games and only gave up one more run (a home run on the 27th) and two hits over 5 2/3 more innings. All told, his ERA for the month was 2.70 over 16 2/3 innings. Hitters had a .111 average against him, and his WHIP stood at 0.54. He allowed 6 hits, 3 walks (a 1.62 BB/9), and got 14 strikeouts (a K/9 rate of 8.30). His K/BB rate was 4.67. He also followed in the footsteps of other Blue Jays fly-ball pitchers like Marco Estrada, inducing 22 fly balls compared to 11 ground balls.

Some regression should be expected as the league gets more adjusted to him, but I'm definitely excited to see what Ramirez will do in the future!

Contract Status:

Ramirez is still in pre-arbitration. He will reach arbitration in 2021, and become a free agent after the 2024 season.

Regular Season Grades:

Jay Blue: A

Emily: A+

Follow me on Twitter: @JaysGirlEmily

If you like us here, like us on Facebook!

The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. made his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Part of the 2017 "Smith Brigade" (four "Smiths" played for Buffalo at one point last year), Dwight Smith Jr. comes from big league stock with his dad playing parts of eight years in the big leagues. Smith Jr. was a first-round pick by the Blue Jays out of high school back in 2011 and has steadily worked his way up through the minors since, breaking into the big leagues in 2017.

Moving up to triple-A Buffalo in 2017 was a logical step for Smith who, in two years at double-A, has hit .265/.333/.405 with 50 doubles, seven triples and 22 home runs. Smith played in big league spring training a bit, getting into 15 games, hitting .190/.227/.238 in 21 at bats.

Assigned to Buffalo to start the year, Smith Jr. had a strong start, hitting .338/.400/.527 with five doubles and three home runs in April before hitting .241/.276/.278 for 14 games in May. Still, he was brought up to Toronto in May to play a couple of games during Kevin Pillar's suspension and went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.

Back to Buffalo he went where he went 5-for-8 in two games, hitting a home run and driving in four before he got up to the big leagues again, playing in Milwaukee on May 24, going 1-for-1 with his first major league hit, a double.

Returning to Buffalo, Smith played 17 more games with the Bisons, hitting .277/.356/.415 with three doubles and two home runs, walking as many times as he struck out (eight) before he got another call to the show.

Smith took advantage of his time in the majors, hitting .391/.417/.435 with a double in eight games and 23 at bats. He had three hits in a game twice in that span.

Smith went back to Buffalo for the rest of the season and wasn't called up for September. Smith hit .273/.350/.392 in Buffalo, playing in 108 games with 21 doubles, a triple and eight home runs, playing mostly right field (with some left and even two games in center). In Toronto, Smith got into 12 games, coming to the plate 29 times with a .370/.414/.444 slash line but he did strike out in 34.5% of his plate appearances and walked in only 3.4% (compared to 10.5% walk rate and 15.8% strikeout rate in Buffalo).

While he doesn't have the power potential of Teoscar Hernandez or the speed and defensive abilities of Anthony Alford, Smith Jr. has the potential to be a solid fourth major league outfielder if he can show the same kind of patience that he's had in the minors in the majors. With several players ahead of him on the depth charts, though, he may be hard pressed to get a chance in 2018.

Contract Status

Smith has all of 18 days of MLB service time and isn't eligible for arbitration until at least 2021. He's still on the 40-man roster.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: IncompleteEmily: A (Small Sample Size)

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

]]>College Wrap III: Dimitroff, Fonseca, Hooge, Mailloux, Morris, Swifthttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/college-wrap-iii-dimitroff-fonseca-mailloux-morris-swiftStaub, Speier, Wetteland to appear at ExposFest fundraiserMajor Leagues (MLB)Danny GallagherWed, 07 Feb 2018 23:48:06 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/919ME3lt_cM/staub-speier-wetteland-to-appear-at-exposfest-fundraiser54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a7b8cd3652dead2370ae06aEight former Montreal Expos, including Ken Hill, Darrin Fletcher, Jose
Vidro, Chris Speier, Larry Parrish, Ellis Valentine, Rusty Staub and John
Wetteland are set to appear at this year's ExposFest fundraiser which will
take place on March 25 at the Embassy Plaza in the Montreal suburb of
Laval.

Montreal Expos legend and Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Rusty Staub will be a guest at this year's ExposFest fundraiser which will take place on March 25.

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Eight and counting.

ExposFest organizer Perry Giannias is looking to come up with a nine-man lineup for his March 25 autograph session and banquet aptly entitled Gala des Celebrités at the Embassy Plaza in the Montreal suburb of Laval.

So far, Giannias has lined up starting pitcher Ken Hill, catcher Darrin Fletcher, second baseman Jose Vidro, shortstop Chris Speier, third baseman Larry Parrish, outfielders Ellis Valentine and Rusty Staub and closer John Wetteland. It has been years and years since Speier has been seen around Montreal so it will be nice for fans to catch up to him.

"I'll be meeting Speier and Parrish, my two all-time favourite players,'' Yves Chevrier of Sherbrooke, Que. said in a Facebook post.

Ideally, Giannias would like a first baseman and another outfielder to complete his starting lineup. Maybe he could coax Warren Cromartie or Andres Galarraga to come and play first and Vladimir Guerrero to fill the other outfield spot.

Knowing Giannias, he will be trying to pull some strings to get Guerrero to come so he can be honoured in Montreal for his recent election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

The fundraiser for the Kat D Foundation and the Montreal Children's Hospital starts at 4:30 in the afternoon when autograph seekers will line up for signatures until about 6 when the supper festivities begin. The night will consist of music by renowned Expos fan Annakin Slayd and the comedy of Gino Durante. Live and silent auctions will be hosted by Montreal radio personality Jeremy Filosa. Tickets are $150 each.

"This is our fourth major event and it will make two festival types and two galas with this one,'' Giannias said. "We are thinking of a family event for the summer.''

It's always a pleasure to watch and listen to Slayd and his band perform.

"I will be playing with a full band plugged in, which is different from past performances where we'd play acoustically,'' Slayd said. "And of course, we will be doing all the baseball songs: Remember, Kid, Tip that Cap and 94 Fall.''

As for Durante, watch, he might take some pokes at people in the audience. He'll keep you on your toes and make you laugh.

"With his great comedic timing, physicality, expressions and observational humor, Durante has quickly become a fan favourite on the stand-up comedy circuit in Montreal,'' Mike Cohen wrote in the Montreal weekly newspaper The Suburban back in 2016.

If you have any donations you want to make to the auctions being coordinated by Filosa, contact exposfest.com.

The fundraiser is dedicated to raising money to fight DIPG (an aggressive brain tumor) in the name of Giannias' late niece Catherine (Kat) Demes.

Right-hander Chris Smith made his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

The Buffalo Bisons had, when big leaguer Joe Smith was rehabbing with them, four players named Smith on the team, outfielder Dwight Smith Jr, and pitchers Joe, Murphy and, the subject of this season review, Chris Smith. Chris finally made his major league debut in 2017 after having been brought into the club in September of 2016 but not getting into any games.

Smith, whom I interviewed in New Hampshire in 2016, got his start in professional baseball by working his way into affiliated baseball through the independent leagues, pitching on the fringes for three years before being signed to a minor league deal by the New York Yankees. Smith was released by the Yankees in 2015 and the Jays signed the hard-throwing righty who then put up stunning numbers in 2015 and 2016 in the higher levels of the Blue Jays' minor leagues.

In 2017, Smith made one appearance with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons before an injury took him out of action for just over a month. He rehabbed with class-A Advanced Dunedin, striking out two in one inning of work before rejoining Bisons. With Buffalo, he posted a 4.41 ERA over 13 games from mid-May to the end of June, but, though he walked only two batters in 16 1/3 innings, he was hit fairly hard, giving up three home runs and an .804 OPS in that span.

Smith was called up to Toronto and made his big league debut on June 27, pitching a scoreless inning and giving up just one hit. He was sent back to Buffalo where he allowed three runs in four innings (over five appearances). He returned to Toronto on July 23, throwing two scoreless outings before giving up three runs on four hits (including a home run) on July 28.

Smith was optioned to Buffalo at the end of July and was recalled after three outings although he didn't pitch again in Toronto. He was designated for assignment on August 12 and, after clearing waivers, he was sent back to Buffalo where he finished the season and became a free agent.

Overall, in Buffalo, Smith's numbers didn't stand out. He had a 4.46 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 34 1/3 innings with six walks and 24 strikeouts. In Toronto, he pitched five innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with a walk and a strikeout.

Contract Status

Smith became a free agent following the season and signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: Incomplete

If you like us here, like us on Facebook!

The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Steve Pearce hit .252 with 13 home runs in 92 games with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: John Sokolowski, USA Today Sports

By Emily @JaysGirlEmily

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Steve Pearce was signed to a two-year deal with the Blue Jays before this season. He spent 2016 with the Rays and then was traded to the Orioles mid-season. On Opening Day, Pearce made a big impact against his former club, going 3-for-5 with a run scored. He went into a slump after that, however, collecting only six more hits for the duration of April (and none for extra bases). His April slash line was a disappointing .167/.211/.167.

In the first game of May, Pearce seemingly broke out in a big way – he went 4-for-4 in New York, including his first double and his first two home runs of the season. He hit another home run the next day, then went four straight games without getting on base (he walked once in his fifth consecutive hitless game). Pearce began hitting again when the Jays played Seattle (including a double and another home run), but was placed on the disabled list on May 15 with a right calf strain. Thanks to the abbreviated month and his four home runs, Pearce hit .276/.333/.759 for May.

He wasn’t activated from the DL for a month, but Pearce came back swinging in a big way. He had an eight-game hitting streak (including the last three before his injury), which included two three-hit games and another home run. He finished out June hitting .500/.552/.731 over 26 at-bats. July was the second of three months in which he’d strike out 17 times. Pearce’s highest RBI total came in July, namely because of the two walkoff grand slams he hit in the same week. He was the first player in MLB history to do so, and only the third player ever to hit two walkoff grand slams in the same season.

In July, thanks to five home runs, Pearce hit .239/.306/.443. August saw a slight improvement in his numbers, at .258/.346/.462. August was also the month in which he took the most walks (12), and scored the most runs (15). He also hit three home runs, eight doubles and a triple. In September, Pearce only played in six games – leaving the Sept 8 game against the Tigers with back stiffness. He didn’t go on the DL again, but didn’t play for the rest of the season. He only had four hits in September.

Coming into the season, Pearce was expected to split time at first base with Justin Smoak, but Smoak’s breakout year led to Pearce playing most of his games in left field. He spent 637 innings in left, as opposed to 55 at first. Hitting .252/.319/.438 with 13 home runs over the whole season, his walk rate of 7.8% was among the worst of his career. However, his 19.5% strikeout rate was close to his career average.

Contract Status:

Pearce is signed for one more year, and will earn $6.25 million. He will be a free agent after the 2018 season.

Regular Season Grades:

Jay Blue: C+

Emily: B-

Follow me on Twitter: @JaysGirlEmily

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Who are the top two Canadians at four-year schools south of the border heading into the June draft?

That’s an easy one.

All you have to do is check out the National Collegiate Baseball Writers preseason All-America squad.

OF Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) of the Kentucky Wildcats earned All-American First Team honours, while DH-RP Matt Lloyd (Calgary, Alta.) of the Indiana Hoosiers gained a berth on the Second Team.

The NCBW takes a look at the NCAA Division I players set to play in the 160th season of intercollegiate ball.

Pompey, who played for coach Ryan McBride and the Toronto Mets, hit .361 last season with 18 doubles, 10 homers and 45 RBIs.

Lloyd, who played for Allan Cox and the Okotoks Dawgs, was a double duty man in Indiana serving as a DH and as the closer. He hit .301 with 16 doubles, 11 homers and 46 RBIs. Pitching in relief, he was 3-2 with nine saves, while walking six and fanning 20 in 32 1/3 innings.

Upon his induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St Marys, Ont., in 2006, Ron Stead ranked as the Intercounty League leader in all-time wins (104), innings pitched (1,365), strikeouts (1,231), games started (151), complete games (116), and shutouts (25), even though he retired in 1972.

Feb. 6, 2018

IBL Reveals Complete List of Top 100 IBL Players

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. – The Intercounty Baseball League has selected its complete list of the Top 100 IBL Players of All-Time. Top 100 players will be honoured during the IBL 100th season banquet in Kitchener on Feb. 24.

The 100 Greatest IBL Players is a centerpiece in honouring 100 years of IBL baseball. A Blue Ribbon panel comprised of distinguished members of the baseball community - including executives, media members and IBL staff - selected the list of esteemed players.

The selected players will be honoured on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the IBL’s 100th season banquet hosted at the Crowne Plaza in Kitchener. Each attending player will receive a commemorative bat honoring their careers.

The complete list of players, their positions and the years, who have been voted among the Top 100:

Jordaan Castaldo has played for Oshawa, Toronto and Barrie, Castaldo was a seven-time all-star, a batting champ and MVP (2014( and a Playoff MVP (2015) batting .340 with 70 doubles, two triples, 45 homers and 245 RBIs.

INF-OF Dean Dicenzo was known as the John MacDonald of the IBL hitting .283 as three-time all-star who ranks seventh all-time in hits (594) and stolen bases (144) and is sixth in games played (53). The man who wanted to grow up in Glanbrook had 86 doubles, 17 triples, 18 homers and knocked in 229 runs. Photo: Kaz Novak.

Frankie Hare Hare won a batting title (2010) and MVP honours (2008), two seasons which helped him sit 10th all-time in stolen bases (128) and 12th in homer (57). He hit .354 with 83 doubles, nine triples and 263 RBIs.

Brantford owner Paul Aucoin congratulates Kevin Hinton on becoming the all-time hit leader in 2012. Hinton now sits second in games (758), hits (790), doubles (141) and RBIs (517). He is fourth in homers and 11th in triples. In his 27 seasons he hit .287, was a seven-time all-star and earned co-playoff MVP honours in 2003. Photo Kara Wilson.

LHP Mel Melehes, who dominated for Guelph and pitched for the host country in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Melehes pitched 15 years with a 90-45 record and a .282 ERA. Five times he was an all-star and twice won ERA titles (2003-04). He ranked fifth in strikeouts (570), 11th in wins and 17th in innings pitch (526).Photo: Greg Layson.

Murray Oliver was a two-sport start with the Boston Bruins in the winter and Guelph in the summer. Oliver played shortstop for seven seasons hitting .309 and earning all-star honours in 1961. He had 35 doubles, six triples, seven homers, 45 RBIs with 81 stolen bases.

Sean Reilly broke in during the 1997 season and he was with the Kitchener Panthers last year. A 12-time all-star at 1B, OF and DH, he won the batting title twice (2015, 2017) and was a four-time MVP (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017). A .345 hitter he ranks all-time in hit (882), home runs (177), doubles (147) and RBIs (719).Photo: Mathew McCarthy.

Paul Spoljaric went 94-65 (a .903 winning mark) with a 2.55 ERA in his nine seasons. Eight times he was an all-star, won an ERA title (2010) an MVP (2003) and is fifth all-time in wins and strikeouts (653).

Jimmy Wilkes went from the league's best CF to its best umpire. He ewas twice an all-star in his 10 years with Brantford hitting .295 with 28 doubles, five triples, eight homers, 144 RBIs and 61 stolen bases.

Long-time London Major Arden Eddie, whose career started in 1967 and ended in 2001. Eddie was a seven-time all-star and ranks No. 1 in games played (846) over his 34-year career. He sits third in hits (769) and stolen bases (179) and fifth in RBIs (670).

While panel members were able to select any player who played in the 100-year history of the IBL, each was provided with biographies and career statistics for players who met any of the following criteria:

It wouldn't be a top 100 unless rangy INF Alfie Payne, shown here with his young family, was on the list. Payne was the 1972 MVP and a five-time all-star with a .316 average. He had 58 doubles, three triples, 34 home runs and 173 RBIs.

i) any player who participated as a player in games between 1919 and 2017

ii) Only individual statistics and awards that have been earned as a player will be taken into account when naming individuals to this list. Player-managers are eligible but their accomplishments as managers (victories, championships, awards, etc.) will not be factored into the decision to name them to the Top 100. iii) Longevity and league dominance will be given the greatest weight in determining which players were named to the list. As such, players should have participated in the league for a minimum of five (5) seasons. Additionally, career records and honours such as MVP awards, All-Star teams, ERA/ batting titles will carry more weight than single-game records or one outstanding season.

Jim Ridley spent three years in the IBL and his whole life in baseball coaching and scouting after his playing days. Ridley was a two-time batting champ (1972, 1972), a three-time all-sat and an MVP (1974) and Playoff MVP (1974). He hit .369 with 26 doubles, five triples, 15 homers, 81 RBIs and 22 steals.

iv) Players who played 1-4 seasons (who had an outstanding IBL career) can also be submitted. Such players may be considered by the Committee depending on the number of openings and how such player(s) fit into the overall list.

About the IBL 100th Season Banquet: The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) announced the details for the 100th Season Celebration Banquet hosted by the Kitchener Panthers, set for Saturday, February 24th in Kitchener.

This once in a lifetime event will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel located at 105 King St E in Kitchener, Ontario from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The festivities begin at 5 PM with social hour, dinner and program slated to start at 6 PM. Advance tickets are $100 per seat or $700 per table of eight.

Tickets can be purchased now at theibl.ca.

About the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL): The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is the top level baseball league in Ontario, boasting ex-major league professional and elite NCAA college baseball players. The 2018 season will mark the IBL’s 100th season. The IBL is the fifth longest continually operated baseball league in the world and serves as a valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff. More than 40 IBL players have advanced to Major League Baseball or returned to the IBL following the their MLB careers. The league is comprised of teams from Barrie, Brantford, Kitchener, London, Toronto, Guelph, Burlington and Hamilton. For more information, visit www.theibl.ca.

]]>Stead headlines IBL's all-time top 100 playershttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/stead-headlines-ibls-all-time-top-100Blue Jays may look within for rotation depthToronto Blue JaysCBN StaffTue, 06 Feb 2018 23:44:31 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/V6palyx9V6Q/blue-jays-may-look-within-for-rotation-depth54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a7a3a23ec212d9f9b5e7db9The Toronto Blue Jays may have to look within the organization for starting
rotation depth in 2018. Canadian Baseball Network writer Cole Shelton
assesses three internal candidates who might start some games for the Blue
Jays this season.

Left-hander Ryan Borucki is a candidate to make some starts for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Cole Shelton

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays have had a fairly quiet off-season, but so, too, have a lot of other teams. With spring training this month, and pitchers and catchers reporting very soon, the Blue Jays still have major question marks with the rotation.

It is fair to say Toronto has the first four spots of the rotation locked down in Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada, J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez, with the fifth spot up in the air.

However, it isn’t even just the five spot that is a major question mark, it is who will be the six- to-10 starters who can come up if needed and start games if a starter gets hurt, which everyone knows will happen. The fifth starter appears to be Joe Biagini, but beyond him, the Blue Jays have a huge hole.

Not only do the Blue Jays not have a ton of depth, but they also have a legitimate concern in the MLB starting rotation. No one truly knows what Biagini is as a starting pitcher in the MLB and if he can do it for a full season, while Aaron Sanchez’s blister problem will be a concern for many as he barely pitched last season due to the injury.

Currently, on the 40-man roster only Ryan Borucki, Thomas Pannone and Taylor Guerrieri appear to be starters.

Ryan Borucki

Borucki had a phenomenal season in 2017 as he moved all the way up to triple-A Buffalo, from single-A Dunedin. Borucki finished the season with a 2.93 ERA in a 150 1/3 innings spanning three levels of the minor leagues. However, Borucki won’t be someone who can come up immediately given he only has one start in triple-A to his name, and the Blue Jays may want him to pitch awhile in triple-A.

Borucki is a left-handed pitcher who throws high 80's to low 90’s who gets a lot of ground balls from his fastball. He was dominant in double-A holding hitters to a batting average of .187. While in his lone triple-a start he dominated again throwing six shutout innings.

He is one of the fastest risers through the Blue Jays system and will get an opportunity in 2018 to pitch in the MLB, but he will need more time in triple-A to continue to develop, and possibly come up and start a game or become another left-hander out of the bullpen. Whatever Toronto decides to do with Borucki it is clear he is a long-shot to start the year in the MLB and will be headed to Buffalo to start.

Thomas Pannone

Pannone is another left-handed pitcher who seems destined for triple-A Buffalo to start the season. He was acquired by the Blue Jays in the Joe Smith trade at the deadline last year, and features a high 80’s fastball, with a great curveball that he has fantastic control of. However, a knock on Pannone is he only has a fastball and curveball to his name, as he is currently working on a changeup, and will need that third pitch to be an effective starter in the majors.

Even with only two pitches, Pannone dominated the minor leagues last year, as he started in class-A and ended up in double-A New Hampshire after the trade from Cleveland. Pannone pitched in 144 2/3 innings, while recording a 2.36 ERA in 25 starts. As mentioned earlier, the left-hander seems destined to start the year in triple-A Buffalo but will be insurance for the Blue Jays this season.

Taylor Guerrieri

Guerrieri was once a promising young prospect who many thought could be a number two or three starter, however, injuries derailed his promising career and after being claimed off waivers by Toronto, Guerrieri is looking to revive his once-promising career.

Guerrieri is a right-handed pitcher who has very good control of his pitches, as in his minor league career had just 86 walks compared to 279 strikeouts. While to back that up in 2012, Guerrieri was named as having the best curveball and control in the whole Tampa Bay Rays system according to Baseball America.

Guerrieri is looking to bounce back after only pitching 9 1/3 innings last year due to an elbow injury. He is also a very good fit in Toronto given he is a ground ball pitcher which should project well at the Rogers Centre.

Out of all the pitchers mentioned, Guerrieri figures to have the best shot to head to Toronto for opening day as the fifth starter as he will be competing with Joe Biagini for that fifth starter role. If Biagini beats out Guerrieri he may find himself in the bullpen or head to triple-A and be the ace for the Bisons and would be the first one to be called up if an injury happens to a starter.

With pitchers and catchers reporting on February 14, the starting pitching depth is not a strength for the Blue Jays and Toronto should be working on adding to it. The Blue Jays should be looking for another two pitchers who will start the year in triple-A and can pitch in an emergency at the MLB level if needed.

However, the starting pitching depth is building up with the likes of Sean Reid-Foley, T.J. Zeuch and Nate Pearson as pitching prospects, but all of them are a good two-three years away if not more.

Simply, Toronto needs to add to the depth now as it is a concern entering spring training.

Another prominent website released their list of MLB's Top 100 prospects on Monday and, lo and behold, five Blue Jays (more than any other list) rank in the top 100 of the Fangraphs list.

One thing that I really like about the Fangraphs list is that they offer a lot of explanation about how they put the list together, how they assign a value to the tools and what their Future Value (FV) means here.

So how do the Blue Jays rank? Well, Vladimir Guerrero ranks third with Bo Bichette joining him in the top 10 at No. 9. Anthony Alford comes in at No. 36 while the big surprise is that Danny Jansen comes in at No. 71 and Nate Pearson is close behind at No. 76.

Guerrero gets the usual kudos for his patience and early development although they categorize him as a first baseman, calling him a potentially "fringey" third baseman. On a side note, I love that Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen spell "fringey" with an "e," because we all know that to make the "g" soft, you need an "e" after it. And "fringy" just looks wrong. Yes, I'm looking at you, pretty much every other prospect writer out there. It's "fringey," for Pete's sake.

At No. 9, under the 60 Future Value (FV) prospects, is Bo Bichette. They think that he's going to improve his hit tool as well as his power in the future although they also think that he's going to probably slide to second base.

Alford is ranked at No. 36, a little bit higher than where he's been ranked by other lists. Even though Alford's been hitting .300 in the minors, the Fangraphs folks think that there's still improvement in his hit tool, although they don't think that his in-game power will match his raw power.

Fangraphs thinks that Danny Jansen (No. 71) is a "near-ready everyday catcher" who has average or better potential for his tools across the board (except speed, but hey, he's a catcher). The big surprise is how highly they rate Jansen and how they see him as an everyday big league player, buying into the thought that his 2017 was not a fluke and is reflective of his true ability.

Longenhagen and McDaniel think that Nate Pearson's control is going to be his Achilles heel going forward but his big fastball has a 70 future value while his slider and changeup both look to be above average. They've given a 50 FV which translates (in their view) to being either a No. 4 starter or high-leverage reliever. But they also say that his variance is high, meaning that if he improves control beyond were they think his ceiling is (which they think is below average), he could be much more.

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Check out the Handbook page for more information!

As I'm sure you've seen on Twitter (or elsewhere), the Super Bowl is over which means that baseball season is around the corner. And with that corner being rounded, yet another website has released their list of top prospects with three Blue Jays named to Baseball Prospectus's Top 101.

In what will come as no surprise to anyone following Toronto's best young players, the three Blue Jays earning their way on the list were Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (No. 4), Bo Bichette (No. 19) and Anthony Alford (No. 58).

Is this news to anyone? Clearly the fact that Bichette and Guerrero are so far apart may be concerning to some, although Jeff Paternostro noted (in the podcast that you can listen to) that he felt they were low on Bichette. Another thing to keep in mind that Craig Goldstein noted was that they were particularly keen on using their own scouting reports to rank the players rather than, as Baseball America or MLB.com does, talking to a number of different people including scouts and baseball operations folks for different teams (although I'm sure BP does that, they just weigh their own writers' assessments higher).

Specifically *our* live reports, fwiw. I am sure there are those who saw him crush. But we did get a full series on him: https://t.co/1C83w77xez

Alford's ranking is pretty consistent with other rankings at No. 58 but I'm surprised that Nate Pearson didn't make the cut. In the past, BP has tended to favour toolsy, young players (everyone remember when Alberto Tirado was their No. 3-ranked Blue Jays prospect?) and Pearson is that, with a big fastball, developing offspeed pitches and excellent results, I'm a little surprised they're not higher on him than they are.

What do you think of the list? Where do you think the Blue Jays' top talent fits?

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Check out the Handbook page for more information!

]]>Three Blue Jays prospects on Baseball Prospectus Top 101 listhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/three-blue-jays-prospects-on-baseball-prospectus-top-101-listJunior National Team to appear on Sportsnet in MarchBaseball CanadaToronto Blue JaysAdam MorissetteTue, 06 Feb 2018 12:54:31 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/QnFV1N7Wlrc/junior-national-team-to-appear-on-sportsnet-in-march54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a79a4239140b70aadf57614For the second year in a row, the Junior National Team’s annual Spring
Training contest against the Toronto Blue Jays will be broadcast
nationally. The March 17 game will be shown on Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet NOW
and can be heard across the Sportsnet Radio Network live from Dunedin
Stadium.

The Canadian Junior National Team will play the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. on March 17. Photo Credit: Amanda Fewer

By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA - For the second year in a row, the Junior National Team’s annual Spring Training contest against the Toronto Blue Jays will be broadcast nationally as Sportsnet revealed their 2018 Blue Jays Spring Training Broadcast Schedule on Monday.

The March 17 game will be shown on Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet NOW and can be heard across the Sportsnet Radio Network live from Dunedin Stadium beginning at 1 pm E.T.

This marks the seventh time in the last eights years that the two clubs have met in spring training and the fourth consecutive year in Dunedin after the first three editions took place at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg.

“We’re very fortunate to have the support of both the Blue Jays and Sportsnet to play this game each year and broadcast across the country,” said Junior National Team manager Greg Hamilton. “This game has become an event that our program and players looking forward to each year and are extremely appreciative for.”

The Junior National Team will open spring training on March 15 at the Walter Fuller Complex in St. Petersburg that will run until March 24. In addition to the game against the Blue Jays, the squad will hold daily practices and play a schedule against minor league clubs from the Tigers, Phillies, Orioles and Rays organizations.

]]>Junior National Team to appear on Sportsnet in Marchhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/junior-national-team-to-appear-on-sportsnet-in-march2017 Toronto Blue Jays Season Review: Michael SaundersCanadians in the MajorsToronto Blue JaysJay BlueTue, 06 Feb 2018 12:42:00 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/ZC-Z2hHCQSo/2017-toronto-blue-jays-season-review-michael-saunders54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a79a08053450a74958185bdJay Blue, from Blue Jays from Away, takes a look at Canadian outfielder
Michael Saunders' season in the latest 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Season Review
feature.

Victoria, B.C., native Michael Saunders was signed to a minor league deal by the Toronto Blue Jays after he was released by the Phillies at the end of June. He batted .274 in 35 games with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons before being called up by the Blue Jays. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Michael Saunders (Victoria, B.C.) went from being a solid big leaguer and an All-Star to a bubble guy awfully quickly. Acquired from the Seattle Mariners before the 2015 season, Saunders missed almost all of 2015 with a knee injury sustained in spring training but came back in a big way in 2016 with a huge first half and he ended up going to the All-Star Game. In 82 games in the first half of the season, Saunders hit .298/.372/.551 with 16 home runs and 25 doubles. But Saunders had an epic crash in the back half, hitting .178/.282/.357 with a respectable eight home runs and seven doubles in 58 games, but his low OBP (fueled by his low average) caused concern, as did his high strikeout rate (28.1%). In 2016, Saunders ranked 121st among major league hitters in average exit velocity at 89.7 mph.

2017, however, was another story for Saunders, more akin to his second half of 2016 than his gangbusters first half. Saunders signed a deal for a year at $8 million with an option for $11 (which could have reached $14 if certain criteria had been met) for a second year that had a $1 million buyout.

Saunders started the season by hitting .205/.257/.360 with nine doubles, two triples and six home runs in 61 games for the Phillies, seeing his strikeout rate actually fall to 23.8% but his average exit velocity had dropped to 85.9% and he was ranked 319th in the majors after the 2017 season.

Released by the Phillies at the end of June, the Blue Jays signed Saunders to a minor league contract and sent him to triple-A Buffalo. While he struggled for a few weeks, hitting just .120/.228/.140 for the Bisons in his first 13 games, Saunders got hot, hitting .354/.374/.542 with 10 doubles, a triple and two home runs in 22 games from July 18 to August 31 but he only walked three times and struck out 17 times in 99 plate appearances (giving him a very good strikeout rate of just above 17%).

Called up to Toronto in September, Saunders served mostly as a pinch hitter, going 3/18 with two walks and four strikeouts.

With the depth that the Blue Jays have in the outfield right now, I can't see Saunders coming back, even on a minor league deal.

Contract Status

Saunders became a free agent following the season and has yet to sign a deal.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: Incomplete

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Former Field House Pirate and Langley Blaze RHP Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (Oakville, Ont.) of the Central Arizona Vaqueros

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball Network

Everyone knows that scouting is an inexact science.

And then along comes Perfect Game’s rating with the top 150 Junior College players heading into the June draft.

Perfect Game ranked RHP Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (Oakville, Ont.) of the Central Arizona Vaqueros as the fifth best prospect in the nation in December.

Then, before the season began in January he was bosted to No. 3 over-all. He could be climbing higher.

The season started and Trogrlic-Iverson, the former Langley Blaze and Field House Pirates ace, dominated. He pitched for Doug Mathieson and Jamie Bodaly in BC and Matt Baird in Oakville.

In the season opener, Trogrlic-Iverson pitched four scoreless and hitless innings against the College of Southern Nevada Coyotes -- Bryce Harper’s school -- while walking four and striking out seven.

And in his second outing, he pitched five scoreless in a 5-0 win over the Gateway Geckos, as he walked two and fanned six.

For those of you impressed at home or at the park, Trogrlic-Iverson has pitched nine scoreless allowing two hits, while walking six and striking out 13.

As a reliever last year, Trogrlic-Iverson was 4-3 with two saves and a 3.04 ERA. He walked 14 and struck out 40 in 47 1/3 innings in 24 games. He has signed a Letter of Intent to attend Bing Crosby’s school, Gonzaga University.

Trogrlic-Iverson is one of five Canucks on the top 150 list

Another former Langley Blaze Indigo Diaz (North Vancouver, BC).

Ranked No. 13, up one spot from the original ranking is Indigo Diaz (North Vancouver, BC). Last year Diaz was 3-1 with a 5.93 ERA. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder walked 21 and struck out 39 in 16 games making two starts. Diaz is headed for Michigan State next fall.

Former ABC RHP RHP Connor Angel (Lachine, Que.)

At No. 84 is RHP Connor Angel (Lachine, Que.), a freshman with the Northwest Florida State Raiders. The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder played last year for coach Robbie Fatal and the Academy Baseball Canada.

Listed 88th is Zach Fascia (Brampton, Ont.) a sophomore with the Indian Hills Indians, who is headed to be a Purdue Boilermaker. Fascia, at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, is a two-way player who played for his father Frank Fascia’s Brampton Royals.

At the plate he had 10 doubles, two homers, 37 RBIs, while hitting .277 with a .709 OPS in 58 games. On the mound, he earned honourable mention honours on the 2017 Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian team. Out of the bullpen he was 1-1 with five saves and an ERA of 0.66. He walked five and struck out 18 in 13 hitting, holding opposing hitters to a .143 average.

And finally ranked No. 131 is Isaac Greer (Vancouver BC) of the North Iowa Area Trojans. Greer did not pitch in the spring of 2017, but last fall scouts saw him light up guns at 97 MPH.

]]>Elliott: PG's top JUCOs Trogrlic-Iverson, Diaz, Angel, Fascia, Greerhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/elliott-pgs-top-jucos-trogerlic-iverson-diaz-angel-fascia-greerYou can make a difference: Ignite changeSandlotsMinor leaguesDevon TeepleTue, 06 Feb 2018 01:26:22 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/92UQYipk1O0/you-can-make-a-difference-ignite-change54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a79027e085229f7204ffe7aDevon Teeple of The GM's Perspective discusses the shift in focus of his
blog. "In the coming months I'm going to be starting a new venture, a
passion project with the purpose of helping people maximize their full
potential, but also with a philanthropic feel to it," writes Teeple.

By Devon Teeple

The GM's Perspective

This post is more of a personal side note, so my apologies if the format is not what you're used to.

I have been blessed over the past few years to be able to speak with so many amazing people in a vast array of industries. My focus for The GM's Perspective was to provide insight on the business side of baseball. But as the years passed I focused more on the independent game, albeit I'm biased towards Indy ball as the unaffiliated side of sports allowed me to live my dream of playing professional baseball. If there's a story to tell, I'll make sure I get it out there.

Over the past, I would say two to three years, I've really tried to spotlight personalities who may not been in the limelight anymore, but are using their reach to help those who may not be able to help themselves.

During these interviews, I've also added more of a personal touch to them. This past summer I was finally open about my struggle with anxiety and depression. The interviews I conducted with Clint Malarchuk, and Corey Hirsch were preambles to finally being able to speak freely about something I've dealt with for over 20 years. My interview with Michael Landsberg was not only an eye-opener, but validation that despite mental health struggles, you can still be amazing at what you do and get through life without worrying about the stigma attached to it.

In the coming months I'm going to be starting a new venture, a passion project with the purpose of helping people maximize their full potential, but also with a philanthropic feel to it. When it comes down to it, we only have one life to live and while we're here we should be doing everything we can to make this the best possible life not only for ourselves, but for everyone one else.

Thank you for your time, it's truly appreciated.

]]>You can make a difference: Ignite changehttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/you-can-make-a-difference-ignite-changeCanadian at heart Moseby savours call to Canuck ball hallMajor Leagues (MLB)Toronto Blue JaysKevin GlewMon, 05 Feb 2018 19:26:09 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/vKPvicGqMy0/canadian-at-heart-moseby-savours-call-to-canuck-ball-hall54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a784eb6652dea12df4ab26cLloyd Moseby considers himself Canadian. That’s certainly not something the
newly elected Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer would’ve anticipated growing
up in Oakland, Calif., or even after the Toronto Blue Jays selected him
second overall in the 1978 MLB draft.

Long-time Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Lloyd Moseby will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in June. Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Lloyd Moseby considers himself Canadian.

That’s certainly not something the newly elected Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer would’ve anticipated growing up in Oakland, Calif., or even after the Toronto Blue Jays selected him second overall in the 1978 MLB draft.

“I was drafted out of high school in ’78 and the Blue Jays started in ’77, so I had zero knowledge about the Toronto Blue Jays,” explained Moseby during the 2018 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees conference call on Thursday.

“But I wasn’t disappointed. I was just happy to get drafted, but I didn’t know who the Toronto Blue Jays were . . . But that quickly changed when I went to Medicine Hat, Alberta [where the Blue Jays’ Rookie ball affiliate was located] and met one of the owners Bill Yuill, who embraced me. And from that point on, I’ve been a Canadian and I’ve loved it. I’ve loved Toronto. I’ve loved all the [Canadian] places that I’ve had stops in.”

Over his 12 professional seasons in the Blue Jays organization, Moseby evolved into one of the best outfielders in franchise history. So it’s fitting that this adopted Canuck will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in June, alongside Montreal Expos superstar Pedro Martinez and Canada’s premier baseball historian Bill Humber. The trio with be honoured in a ceremony on the Hall of Fame grounds in St. Marys, Ont., on June 16.

It’s been a tremendous career on and around the diamond for the charismatic Moseby who once believed he’d make his living on a basketball court. Born in Portland, Ark., Moseby moved to Oakland and was an All-American hoops star in high school. In fact, it was his magic with a basketball that earned him his nickname “Shaker.”

“Growing up, I would tell my mom one of these days I’m going to be in the NBA and I’m going to get you out of here. And that was my dream . . . I was relentless. I dribbled everywhere. Everywhere I went I had a basketball . . . It was something that I was just obsessed with,” shared Moseby. “When I got drafted [by the Blue Jays], it was sweet, but it had a little bitterness to it because I knew I had to give up basketball.”

After his selection in the 1978 MLB draft, Moseby was off to the Blue Jays' Rookie Ball affiliate in Medicine Hat.

“Bill Yuill flew a helicopter into Calgary to pick me up and you got to understand . . . I had never been out of Oakland. And so to have somebody send a helicopter for me, it was unbelievable,” shared Moseby. “But my greatest memory [of Medicine Hat], I was staying at the Assiniboia Inn, which is a place in Medicine Hat that will go down in history. Anyway, I look out my window and I hear some noise and there were people with cows and horses in a parade. I thought, ‘What the hell!’ And that was a culture shock without a doubt. John McLaren, who was my manager, and today is one of my greatest friends in the world, had to settle me down . . . John still kids me about that.”

But that culture shock didn’t stop the talented youngster from excelling in Medicine Hat. In 67 games with the club, he batted .304 with 10 home runs and 20 stolen bases. That performance propelled his quick ascent through the Blue Jays’ ranks and he would make his big league debut on May 24, 1980 at the tender age of 20.

“When I got to Toronto, we were awful. I mean, there’s no other way to say it,” said Moseby. “There were a lot of Rule 5 guys and we didn’t have a direction. Fortunately for us we had a great fan base. But what really stands out is the fight that we had. We had the young guys on the way. We had Barfield in the mix in the minor leagues. We had George Bell, who was with the Phillies, and we were fortunate enough to get him. So to see the growth for me was unbelievable. But if someone had been there in 1980, you would’ve sworn that there was no way that we were going to get better that quick.”

Moseby says the turning point for the club came when Bobby Cox was appointed manager prior to the 1982 season and the veteran bench boss instilled a winning culture in the clubhouse.

After struggling for three seasons, Moseby’s breakout campaign came in 1983, when he batted .315, socked 18 home runs, 31 doubles, seven triples and swiped 27 bases. He also topped American League centre fielders with 11 assists. For his efforts, Moseby became the first Blue Jays’ outfielder to win a Silver Slugger Award and was named the team’s Player of the Year. He was also selected to The Sporting News and Baseball America All-Star teams. Not coincidentally, the team also finished over .500 (89-73) for the first time.

For an encore, Moseby belted 18 home runs, led the American League in triples (15) and registered 39 stolen bases in 1984. He also ranked first among AL centre fielders with 470 putouts and his 7.3 WAR that season was second among AL position players to Cal Ripken Jr.

The 6-foot-3 centre fielder continued to be a force at the plate and on the basepaths in 1985 when he pounded out 18 more home runs and swiped 37 bases to help the Blue Jays capture their first division title.

“1985 was a special year, it was something where Bobby Cox sat down with us in spring training and told us, ‘We’re a great team, but it’s time for you guys to start believing that,’” recalled Moseby. “Then everybody started digging down deep and figuring out what it was going to take for us to win for real, not just going out and winning ball games and coming up short, but to go out and win and raise a flag. The 1985 season we grew up a lot. And we started to believe we were somebody rather than nobodies.”

After winning a franchise record 99 games during the regular season, the Blue Jays came within one victory of advancing to the World Series, losing the American League Championship Series in seven games to the eventual World Champion Kansas City Royals. But the future of the club appeared to be bright, especially for their young outfield, of Moseby in centre, George Bell in left and Jesse Barfield in right, that was widely being hailed as the best in baseball. Bell was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013 and Moseby believes that Barfield deserves to be honoured as well.

“He was just a tremendous player,” said Moseby of Barfield. “He had an Ellis Valentine type arm and Ellis was incredible. I mean, I loved Ellis Valentine. He was my guy in Montreal at the time. So when I saw Barfield coming up with an arm like that and, oh my goodness, Jesse could flat out hit. So I know that he’s going to make it (to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame) one day.”

After his first taste of postseason action in 1985, Moseby continued to showcase a potent combination of power and speed, registering back-to-back 20-home run, 30-stolen base seasons in 1986 and 1987 and in 1986, he was selected to the American League All-Star team. In 1989, he helped the club win their second division title.

In all, Moseby played 10 seasons with the Blue Jays and he ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in several statistical categories, including first in stolen bases (255), second in triples (60), third in at bats (5,124) and walks (547) and fourth in games (1,392), runs (768), hits (1,319) and doubles (242).

“I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen us go from the laughing stocks of the American League to teams that didn’t want to come and play us,” said Moseby. “It was a tremendous time we had going from the cellar to one of the greatest teams in the 1980s who didn’t win, of course, but we had a lot of fun.”

Moseby suited up for two seasons with the Detroit Tigers in 1990 and 1991 to finish off his 12-year major league career, before spending his last two pro campaigns with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.

Following his playing career, Moseby served as a coach for the Blue Jays’ Short-Season class-A St. Catharines Stompers and the triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, before becoming the Blue Jays’ first base coach in 1998 and 1999. Since 2009, he has worked in an ambassador’s role with the club, representing the team in charitable events and serving as an instructor with the Blue Jays Baseball Academy at various kids events across the country including the Honda Super Camps and Instructional Clinics and Tournament 12.

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Luis Santos finally got his shot at The Show, after six years in the minor leagues, and he made the most of it for the Toronto Blue Jays.

For several years, Santos has been what you might consider an "org guy," a player who is important for filling roles within the organization but not really considered a prospect. Originally signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic by the Pittsburgh Pirates (back in 2011), he was traded to Kansas City in 2012 and, after a couple of seasons that weren't necessarily bad, was released by the Royals just before the 2015 season.

The Blue Jays signed him to a minor league deal and he started his Toronto tenure in class-A Advanced Dunedin where he was a swing man (although mostly a starter). He split 2016 between double-A New Hampshire and Dunedin and was assigned back to New Hampshire to start the 2017 season without even getting into a big league spring training game.

He made four appearances with New Hampshire (giving up four runs in 6 1/3 innings) before getting promoted to triple-A Buffalo where he worked both in the rotation and in the bullpen (although mostly as a starter). His numbers in Buffalo were decent, with a 4.07 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 108 1/3 innings, striking out 21.7% of batters and walking 9.8% and getting a 36.5% ground ball rate.

Santos was called up to Toronto in September and was used often by manager John Gibbons, getting into 10 games and posting a 2.70 ERA over 16 2/3 innings with a 1.14 WHIP, 23.5% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate.

Santos is a very good pitcher to have around in triple-A. When I saw him in spring training last year, he was throwing a fastball in the 90+ mph range but could also dial it up to 93-95. Looking back, I have a feeling that he was mixing in a cutter with his four seamer that looked like it had a fair bit of movement on it. He was also throwing a hard 12-6 curveball. He's a fairly polished pitcher and he'll only be 27 in 2018. We can call him some home-grown depth in the organization on the mound and he can pitch in both the bullpen and the rotation if necessary.

Contract Status

Santos was re-signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training after he became a free agent this off-season.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: B+

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Newly elected Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez believes that former teammate Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) is worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown.

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories:

· Congratulations to Montreal Expos superstar Pedro Martinez, long-time standout Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Lloyd Moseby and Canada’s premier baseball historian Bill Humber who will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on June 16 in St. Marys, Ont. The Canadian ball hall unveiled its new class on Thursday. During the conference call with the inductees, I asked Martinez if he felt his former Expos teammate Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) was worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown. “Larry Walker definitely is a Hall of Famer in my eyes, in my heart,” said Martinez. “Larry Walker was a special player that could do it all. Talk about having an instinct for the game. Larry Walker was that player. And a lot of fun . . . I would love to be with him again.”

· And if the interactions between Martinez and Moseby on the conference call are any indication, it should be a lot of fun in St. Marys in June. At one point in the call, Martinez was discussing how happy Dominican people are when Moseby injected and said, “What about George Bell?” To which Martinez, without missing a beat, responded. “OK. There’s always a couple of grumpy ones.”

· Canada’s foremost baseball historian, Bill Humber, will also be inducted into the Canadian ball hall in June and a strong argument could be made that without his tireless and trailblazing research efforts, there wouldn’t be a Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. I wrote an article about him earlier this week. You can read it here.

· Speaking of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, it was seven years ago today that Vladimir Guerrero (2017 CBHFM inductee) signed a one-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles. Yes, Guerrero, like fellow 2018 Cooperstowner Jim Thome, played his final major league games with the Orioles. In 145 games with the O’s in 2011, Guerrero batted .290 with 13 home runs. Thome would suit up for his final 28 big league contests with the O’s the following year.

· It was 20 years ago today that the Toronto Blue Jays signed slugger Jose Canseco to a one-year, $3-million contract. Canseco proceeded to sock a career-high 46 home runs with the Blue Jays in 1998. In his excellent 2009 biography of Roger Clemens, The Rocket That Fell to Earth, author Jeff Pearlman reveals that Canseco was signed largely at the request of Clemens. The two had become fast friends when they played together in Boston in 1995 and 1996.

· George Farelli of the Canadian Baseball Network reports that Surrey, B.C., native Adam Loewen has signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers. The 6-foot-6 lefty went 6-1 with a 3.81 ERA with 67 strikeouts in 52 innings between double-A and triple-A in the Rangers organization last season. He last pitched in the big leagues in 2016 when he made eight appearances for the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 2002 first-rounder, who will turn 34 in April, had previous pitching stints with the Baltimore Orioles (2006 to 2008) and Philadelphia Phillies (2015) and played for the Blue Jays as an outfielder in 2011.

· Long before Chatham, Ont., natives Fergie Jenkins, Bill Atkinson and Doug Melvin were making names for themselves in the big leagues, Doc Miller was putting the small Southwestern Ontario city on the map as one of baseball’s top batsmen. Today would be Miller’s 135th birthday. In 1909, Miller hit a combined .359 in 147 games with the Western League’s Pueblo Indians and the Pacific Coast League’s San Francisco Seals, earning him his first big league opportunity with the Chicago Cubs the following year. However, after just one game with the Cubs, the Canuck outfielder was dealt to the Boston Doves, where he would hit .286 and knock in 55 runs. His breakout year came the following season, when he recorded a league-best 192 hits and hit .333, falling one point shy of the batting crown captured by Honus Wagner. During the 1912 season, Miller was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he batted .288 in 67 games and.345 in 69 contests the ensuing campaign. In 1913, he also set a major league record with 21 pinch-hits that stood for 19 years. His final year in the big leagues was with the Cincinnati Reds in 1914. Miller’s .295 career major league batting average ranks him fourth all-time among Canadians. Miller later attended the University of Toronto and became a physician following his playing career.

· Please take a moment to remember former Montreal Expos left-hander Woodie Fryman who passed away seven years ago today at the age of 70. He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Inducted into the Expos Hall of Fame in 1995, the Kentucky native enjoyed two stints with the Expos (1975-76, 1978 to 1983) and was the Expos Player of the Year as a starting pitcher in 1976. When he was brought back to the club in 1978, he returned to the rotation, but was then used exclusively as a reliever in his final five seasons. In three of those campaigns, his ERA was 2.79 or lower. In total, he pitched in 18 big league seasons and won 141 games.

· And it looks likely that the last Montreal Expo will play on. Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reported on Saturday that the Texas Rangers are in talks with right-hander Bartolo Colon on a minor league contract. Set to turn 45 in May, Colon, who went 10-4 with a 3.31 ERA in 17 starts for the Expos in 2002, split 2017 between the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins and posted a combined 6.48 ERA in 143 innings. The 5-foot-11, 285-pound right-hander has 240 major league wins in 20 seasons.

]]>BWDIK: Colon, Guerrero, Humber, Loewen, Moseby, Walkerhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/bwdik-colon-guerrero-humber-loewen-martinez-moseby-walkerParrish CEO as Canada Games comes to Niagara in 2021SandlotsBob ElliottSun, 04 Feb 2018 10:16:39 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/eg04iTEPn5s/parrish-ceo-as-canada-games-comes-to-niagara-in-202154f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a76af24c830259c53be5777<img class="thumb-image" alt="summ.jpg" data-image="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a76af94c830259c53be6329/1517727643256/summ.jpg" data-image-dimensions="1200x400" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-load="false" data-image-id="5a76af94c830259c53be6329" data-type="image" src="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb/t/5a76af94c830259c53be6329/1517727643256/summ.jpg?format=1000w" />
<p><strong>2021 Canada Games Host Society Announces Wayne Parrish as Chief Executive Officer</strong></p><p><strong>By Cassie Robinson</strong><br />The Host Society for the 2021 Canada Games announced Wayne Parrish as its Chief Executive Officer. This is an important milestone for the 2021 Canada Games which will be held across the Niagara Region in the summer of 2021. A national search for the CEO role was launched last fall, with Wayne standing out amongst all other applicants. Parrish will commence his new role as the 2021 Canada Games CEO on March 1st, 2018.</p><p>Parrish brings to this role a wealth of diverse executive level experience, including experience in the media sector as the Chief Revenue and Transformation Officer and as the Chief Operating Officer for Postmedia Network, and experience in the sport sector as President and CEO of Canada Basketball. Wayne is currently the Co-Chair of Canada Basketball and President of Sport Media Enterprises.</p><p>Baseball will be a part of the Canada Games featuring the 17U age grouping.</p><p>With a lifelong passion for sport and a strong desire to positively impact the lives of young athletes, Parrish is thrilled about this opportunity - “the Canada Games are a special event for sport and culture in our country and I am extremely excited to be part of the team that will welcome all of Canada to Niagara in 2021”.</p><p>Under Parrish’s leadership, the 2021 Canada Games will welcome approximately 5,000 young athletes from across Canada to Niagara in the summer of 2021. It is expected that around 5,000 volunteers will be needed to host the Games, and that the Games will bring an economic impact of approximately $200 million to the Niagara Region.</p><p><strong>About the Canada Games:</strong> The Canada Games are Canada’s largest multi-sport event. Held every two years, alternating between Winter and Summer Games, the Canada Games represent the highest level of national competition for up-and-coming provincial and territorial athletes. The Games have been hosted in every province at least once since their inception in Quebec City during Canada’s centennial in 1967. This year’s Summer Games took place in Winnipeg and marked the 50th anniversary of the Canada Games. The Games are proud of their contribution to Canada’s sport development system and their lasting legacy of sport facilities, community pride and national unity.</p><p>The organization of the Canada Games is made possible thanks to the contribution and support of the Government of Canada, provincial/territory governments, the Host Societies, host municipalities, corporate partners and the Canada Games Council.</p><p> </p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~4/eg04iTEPn5s" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/parrish-ceo-as-canada-games-comes-to-niagara-in-2021Elliott: Johnny Bower's picture hangs high amongst Leaf fansCanadians in the MajorsBob ElliottSun, 04 Feb 2018 08:58:19 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/zvNn_L-e5-I/johnny-bowers-picture-hangs-high-amongst-leaf-fans54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a769bb5652dea12df06b829
The late Leafs goaltender Johnny Bower was always generous with an
autographed photo for fans. Memories of the late Leafs goalie still warm
hearts of those he touched. From his long-time barber to being an honorary
Mississauga police chief, his kindness and humility that stands out.

The late Leafs goaltender Johnny Bower was always generous with an autographed photo for fans.

Memories of Johnny Bower still warm hearts of those touched by late Leafs goalie.

From his long-time barber to being an honorary Mississauga police chief, Bower's kindness and humility always stood out.

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball NetworkThe barber shop has always been a place to talk sports.

Growing up in Kingston the place to get your hair cut was Vinnie’s. One chair. Lots of waiting. It was run by Vinnie McQuaid. Now Vinnie was not a big sports guy, but his father was one of the greatest players Kingston ever produced. He was also known as Constable Vincent McQuaid.

After his playing days were finished he worked on the police force and as Kingston Police Chief Bob (Tank) Nesbitt told my father and I more than once “if there is trouble down a dark alley or in an apartment building, Vinnie is usually the guy that goes. He’s the bravest man we have.”

As an outfielder he was a star when the Kingston Ponies won the 1932 OBA senior title and -- you can look it up -- he hit .319 for the class-D Kingston Ponies in the Border League. He was 31 at the time, which was more than seven years over the average age in the league (go ahead ... look him up on baseball-reference).. Another Kingston lad, LHP Arnold Jarrell went 21-8 with a 2.30 ERA.

The thing about Young Vinnie’s was that his sports consisted of fishin’ huntin’ and sometimes trappin’. He would get on a roll about “bagging an eight-point buck,” and I would ask “what gauge shot guns were the deers using this season?” Vinnie would always shoot back “easy ... you are in the chair and I HAVE the scissors.”

But there was always plenty of other people in the shop to talk baseball.

* * *

In Ottawa, I used to go a place near Merivale and Carling and there was always talk about the Ottawa Rough Riders, the Ottawa 67s or the Montreal Expos.

* * *

And in Mississauga there was not a lot of pictures on the wall. About three tips into Anthony’s Family Hairstyling, I noticed a picture of Tony posed by his chair. The face was familiar. The face belonged to former Maple Leafs netminder Johnny Bower.

* * * A man has to trust his barber

And Johnny Bower trusted Tony Baggetta.

The Maple Leafs legend, who died Dec. 26 at the age of 93, first met Baggetta in the fall of 1961, when he was cutting hair at the Royal York Plaza in Etobicoke.

Ten years later, Baggetta opened Anthony’s Family Hairstyling inside the Woodchester Mall on Dundas Street in west Mississauga. There are not a lot of pictures on the wall, but one stands out. A young Baggetta standing beside his barber’s chair with the Leafs goalie smiling for the cameras.

Bower eventually went to Oakville, but remained a regular until Tony retired in the fall of 2015.

“Johnny Bower was one of the nicest men to ever come into the store,” said Rosemarie, Tony’s wife. “He had zero anger, he was always smiling and he was such a great guy. He was such a generous man. He always gave of his time. People he didn’t know would ask to have their picture taken with him and he would say, ‘Of course.’”

* * *Constable Todd Clark, 44, is in his eighth year on the job with the Peel Regional Police..

One Sunday this summer he was assigned to work a charity event, and remembers how he “assumed that it was going to be a bad chore.”

Instead, he was assigned to drive Bower to a charity torch ride for Special Olympics and then bring him home.

Bower deserved the special treatment since he was a) the force’s first and only honourary chief in the 40-year history of Peel Regional Police, and b) he was Johnny Bower. As honourary chief, Bower was given the same dress uniform as the official chief. A Peel honour guard was there for Bower’s funeral.

“I assumed he was living with his daughter, but Mr. Bower answered the door and was pretty spry for a 93-year old,” Clark said.

En route, Bower asked Clark questions and Bower told stories.

Like the one about when Bower stole his old cotton Maple Leafs jersey after the final game of a season.

Clark remembers Bower telling him that former Leafs owner Harold Ballard came by to collect the players’ jerseys, and in Bower’s mind, “I never took anything from them and they never gave anything to me.”

As Bower told it, “Just as he gets near me, a writer walks by, Ballard started swearing at him. [I] hid the jersey, went to the showers and then left.”

The next day Ballard phoned Bower asking, “Where’s your jersey?” Bower told him, “I gave it to you when you were yelling at the writer.” Ballard, unsure of what really happened, then let it go.

Bower told the constable that Eddie Shack would ask players to sign his cowboy hat, then sell it for $200 and how Bower’s wife, Nancy, banned Shack from the house.

“Mr. Bower said Nancy wouldn’t let him in the house because he would use four-letter words and drink our wine, so any time Shack came over, Mr. Bower would stand and talk to him in the driveway,” Clark recalled Bower telling him.

Bower told Clark of attending a charity event with Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion. The mayor would take five shots and if she scored the charity was the winner. However, Bower had a stick and zero equipment, while McCallion was shooting one of those hard, orange balls. And Bower was not wearing a jock and, of course, that is where he was plunked. He allowed the last shot to get past him.

And Bower told Clark how, if he would “let in a stinker of a goal,” defenceman Tim Horton would chew him out.

“Mr. Bower said it was only years later that he found out that [Horton] had a bonus for the total number of goals against.”

At the Special Olympics event, Bower sat in a chair, posed for pictures and gave out autographed coloured pictures.

“Any time a woman would come along, he would demand to stand up,” Clark said. “He was such a gentleman the whole day.”

Then deputy chief Brian Adams brought the group together and recognized “one of the best goalies of all time.” As Bower headed toward the podium, people clapped and it quickly turned into a standing ovation.

“You should have seen Mr. Bower light up,” Clark said. “He had been shuffling all morning, but he walked to the podium with a purposeful stride and his face lit up. His first line was, ‘I didn’t get a hand like that at the Gardens.’”

On the drive home, Clark told Bower that he also was a goalie.

“Were you any good?” Bower asked.

“Well, Mr. Bower, I had a different strategy, I let the back of net stop most of my pucks,” Clark said, eliciting a laugh from the Hall of Famer.

Clark also worked as a referee, and any time Bower was there for a ceremonial faceoff, he would drop by the referee’s room.

“He’d come in with signed pucks and give each official a puck,” said Clark, who admits he is a Philadelphia Flyers fan.

“Mr. Bower treated our service really well,” Clark said. “He was not a celeb, just a good down-to-earth man. He was an old school gentleman. It’s kind of a cliche, but they don’t make them like that anymore.”

* * *Anthony’s Family Hairstyling was sold to Marlene Carrasco 2016. And soon Carrasco had her picture taken with Bower, framed and posted on the wall.

So, outside of a few months, Bower’s picture has been hanging from a wall every day inside the shop since 1971 as Cheryl, Big Tony, Luanne, Rose, New Tony, Ron, Johan, Tammy and others went about their work. And it will still hang there now that Bower has passed away.

Carrasco admits she knows more about soccer than hockey.

“I did not follow hockey too much,” Carrasco said. “But Johnny Bower was so famous. He was with the Maple Leafs the last time that they won [the Stanley Cup.] He was our VIP. He was so nice, so famous. People would stop, ask him to have a picture taken with him.”

Carrasco said Bower was a regular until a couple of months ago.

“The short time I was lucky to meet him it was an honour, he let me take his picture,” she said. “Such a nice sweet man. He would give us a hug when he came in the shop. I was upset when I heard he passed, We had heard that he was not doing well.”

Bower’s picture hangs in such famed places as the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Air Canada Centre, fitting tributes to a legendary NHL career.

And just as fitting is its place in Anthony’s Family Hairstyling, and in the many living rooms and offices and thousands of other places where Leafs fans live and remember.

]]>Elliott: Johnny Bower's picture hangs high amongst Leaf fanshttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/johnny-bowers-picture-hangs-high-amongst-leaf-fansOsuna loses arbitration case with Blue JaysToronto Blue JaysAndrew HendriksSat, 03 Feb 2018 20:27:37 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/Xeph0OPg67E/osuna-loses-arbitration-case-with-blue-jays54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a7618b5ec212dda580f43b3Toronto Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna came out on the short end of his
first trip into salary arbitration on Saturday and will earn $5.3M in 2018.
Canadian Baseball Network writer Andrew Hendriks has the details.

TORONTO - Roberto Osuna came out on the short end of his first trip into salary arbitration on Saturday and will earn $5.3M in 2018, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Osuna, 22, pitched to an ERA of 3.38 with 83 strikeouts against only nine walks through 66 appearances in 2017. In his third season at the major league level, the hard-throwing product of Juan Jose Rios, Mexico converted 39 saves in 49 attempts and produced a career-best HR/9 total 0.4 on the season.

Selected to the All-Star Game for the first time last summer, Osuna --who earned a base salary of $552,400 in 2017-- filed at $5.8M while the Blue Jays countered with a $5.3M offer.

Of the eight Blue Jays that were eligible for salary arbitration in 2018, the team reached formal agreements with all but two last month. This left righties Marcus Stroman and Osuna exposed to the hearing process.

With a gap of $400,000 currently separating the Blue Jays and Stroman, his case is next on the docket.

Former Ontario Blue Jays C Tony Hrynkiw (Brampton, Ont.), earned Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian college First Team honours in 2017 and now he is back with the 13th ranked Connors State Cowboys.

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball NetworkThere are no less than 30 Canucks on the top 50 ranked Junior Colleges heading into this weekend.

Of the 30 Canucks, three were named to the 2017 Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian college team: C Tony Hrynkiw (Brampton, Ont.) of the Connors State Cowboys, plus INF Kobe Morris (Victoria, BC) and OF Tyler Duncan (Sookie, BC) of the Crowder Roughriders.

Here is the top 50 lists with Canucks on the team, Perfect Game comments and stats for players who are in their sophomore seasons.

Morris and Duncan earned Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian college Second Team honours. 3B Morris hit .384 with 15 doubles, three triples, nine homers, 65 RBIs and a 1.091 OPS, while OF Duncan batted OF Tyler Duncan batted .358 with 21 doubles, eight triples, 10 homers, 80 RBIs and an OPS of 1.084. Dussenne had a 6.43 ERA walking 11 and striking out 12 in seven innings.

7. Central Arizona AZ 42-23 NR

PG: Nick Iverson leads the way on the mound and is highly-ranked among the nation’s top prospects

RHP Nick Trogerlic-Iverson (Oakville, Ont.).

8. Northwest Florida State FL 34-17 NR

PG: They can run out double-digit guys they feel comfortable with, including an incredible balance of nearly equal righties and lefties. Connor Angel, Christian Camacho and Jackson Sloan (who has burst onto the scene quite recently) should create a formidable lineup

Hrynkiw earned Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian college First Team honours as he hit .409 with 11 doubles, three homers, 60 RBIs and a .995 OPS in 55 games.

18. Iowa Western IA 44-16 22

PG: The Reivers of Iowa Western come into 2018 expecting big things again, a common expectation in Council Bluffs. They have somewhat of a top-heavy pitching staff with legitimate draft prospects at the top in Keaton Winn and Indigo Diaz, and in a perfect world they’d love to use Diaz to lock down games at the back end of the bullpen.

Fonseca batted .286 with a home run, nine RBIs and an .732 OPS in 35 games.

]]>Duncan, Hrynkiw, Morris, Sierra lead 30 Canucks on top 50 JUCO teamshttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/gu38ilrxwb4bjkrlh7rlseghgyfdobHumber elected to ball hall his research has helped buildCanadians in the MajorsKevin GlewFri, 02 Feb 2018 20:51:42 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/lFUUJq9esj4/humber-elected-to-ball-hall-his-research-has-helped-build54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a749a84e4966b887051b979A strong argument could be made that without Bill Humber there would be no
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. It’s thanks in large part to his tireless
and trailblazing research efforts that many of the stories shared in the
St. Marys, Ont.-based shrine have been brought to light. So it’s fitting
that Humber will now be honoured permanently in the museum.

Canada's premier baseball historian Bill Humber is part of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's 2018 induction class. Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

A strong argument could be made that without Bill Humber there would be no Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

It’s thanks in large part to his tireless and trailblazing research efforts that many of the stories shared in the St. Marys, Ont.-based shrine have been brought to light. So it’s fitting that Humber will now be honoured permanently in the museum.

The Canuck ball hall announced on Thursday that the 68-year-old historian will be part of its 2018 induction class, along with former Montreal Expos superstar Pedro Martinez and long-time Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Lloyd Moseby. The trio will be celebrated in a ceremony on June 16.

“Researching the roots of Canadian baseball, sharing those stories, and celebrating long lost heroes, has been a lifelong passion for me, so to join them in this special place is both an honour and a humbling experience,” said Humber after being informed of his induction.

Born in Toronto, Ont., in 1949, Humber formed a love for baseball at an early age.

“My dad came to Canada after the war. He was in the British army. He’d never seen a baseball game in his life when he got here, but one of the first things he did with my brother and I was take us to a game at the old Maple Leaf Stadium in Toronto,” reflected Humber on Thursday’s Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame conference call. “I can remember from my earliest days, when I was seven or eight going to those games in Toronto and just falling in love with the game and the whole atmosphere when I was walking into the stadium.”

Fortunately for Canadians, Humber’s love of baseball has never waned. For more than four decades, the long-time Seneca College professor has conducted unprecedented research on Canadian baseball history and is now widely recognized as Canada’s premier baseball historian.

“It’s just that wonder of engaging in a history that had not been told,” said the Bowmanville, Ont., resident, when asked what inspired his passion for Canadian baseball history. “Others – like Louis Cauz – had done a wonderful job on Toronto baseball history, but the Canadian story itself was one that was truly lacking. And to delve into it, it was like an open field, there were very few others who were examining the history.”

To illustrate the esteem that Humber is held in in baseball history circles, he’s the only Canadian to have served on the board of directors for the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) and he never misses an opportunity to wave the flag when he’s in the company of his American colleagues.

It would be difficult to summarize all of Humber’s groundbreaking research. The depth of his work on the roots of baseball in Canada is unparalleled and he has introduced us to fascinating Canadian baseball pioneers like William Shuttleworth and Robert Addy. But Humber is particularly proud of the research he did on the first international baseball game that took place in August 1860 between a team from Hamilton, Ont., and Buffalo, N.Y.

“The game was played in a place called Clifton,” said Humber. “And my American colleagues in the baseball history community for the life of themselves could never figure out where this place was. They looked on the maps, desperately looking to find out where the first ever international baseball game was played and concluded it must be somewhere near Erie, Pennsylvania., which made absolutely no sense, given how far those two teams would’ve had to travel. In fact, Clifton was the predecessor name of Niagara Falls, Canada. So the first game was played just across the Niagara River, but they [American researchers] were unable to cross the river to Canada, simply because they couldn’t fathom that anything associated with baseball history generally could occur in Canada. So I like to tell that story as one of my favourites.”

On top of the countless presentations about Canadian baseball history that Humber has done across North America, he has also authored several groundbreaking books on the topic, including Cheering for the Home Team (1983), Let’s Play Ball: Inside the Perfect Game (1989), The Baseball Book and Trophy (1993) and Diamonds of the North: A Concise History of Baseball in Canada (1995).

He was also instrumental in the formation of the Toronto Hanlan’s Point chapter of SABR and he played a central role in the organization of Toronto’s first SABR Convention in 1981.

In 1979, he founded a course called “Baseball Spring Training for Fans” at Seneca College which continues to this day. He has taught the course since its inception.

“The idea [for the course] was pretty simple. The players get to go to Florida – or today Arizona as well – to get ready for the season and I thought well, what do the poor fans get to do? They have to sit around until April rolls around for the start of the season. So 40 years ago, I just had an idea that why don’t we just do a course, a class (non-credit) just for fun in a college classroom?” recalled Humber.

“I’m at Seneca College in Toronto and we’ll call it Baseball Spring Training for Fans. And I recall that the phone exploded and people just thought it was the most wonderful idea . . . People were just ecstatic about the idea and I thought it might last a year or two and here we’re just in the process now of our 40th year doing it.”

For his contributions, Humber was made an honorary inductee into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004 and is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, which is awarded to Canadians who have made outstanding and exemplary contributions to their communities or to Canada as a whole. He continues to be a regular contributor on baseball matters to radio and TV shows throughout Canada and the U.S.

“I like to think I’ve helped popularize the study of baseball and helped people look back on the history of the game in Canada,” said Humber.

There’s no question that he has, and his plaque at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame will ensure that he’s permanently acknowledged as an important part of that "history."

]]>Humber elected to ball hall his research has helped buildhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/humber-elected-to-ball-hall-his-research-has-helped-buildOttawa Champions acquire Canadian lefty Evan RutckyjCanadians in the MinorsCBN StaffFri, 02 Feb 2018 18:24:30 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/NdhRjWFkjsc/ottawa-champions-acquire-canadian-lefty-evan-rutckyj54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a74a9cd9140b73c7355a13cThe independent Can-Am League's Ottawa Champions have acquired LHP Evan
Rutckyj (Windsor, Ont.) from the American Association’s Winnipeg Goldeyes
in exchange for a player to be named later.

The Can-Am League's Ottawa Champions have acquired Windsor, Ont., native Evan Rutckyj, who spent parts of six seasons in the New York Yankees organization. Photo Credit: Getty Images

By Michael Nellis

Ottawa Champions

OTTAWA—Another Ottawa Champions acquisition Wednesday fills a void the team lacked in the latter half of the 2018 season – a left-handed relief pitcher.

The Champions acquired LHP Evan Rutckyj from the American Association’s Winnipeg Goldeyes, in exchange for a player to be named later.

Rutckyj. a Canadian from Windsor, Ont., has an extensive resume in affiliated and international baseball. He was a member of the New York Yankees organization for six full seasons before joining Winnipeg in 2017.

The lefty’s numbers in the independent American Association were impressive – giving up 25 hits in 21 innings pitched. He had an ERA of 5.57 over the course of the season.

Champions manager Hal Lanier said his team attempted to sign Rutckyj toward the end of last season, but Winnipeg had the inside track.

“He will bring a lot to our bullpen,” said Lanier when discussing his new left-handed pitcher. “He really pitched well in the playoffs for the Goldeyes, which I’m really happy about.”

In the 2017 AA playoffs, Rutckyj didn’t allow a hit in his four appearances, helping Winnipeg haul in the hardware and win the league title.

“Last year we just weren’t able to find the right left-hander to get lefties out,” Lanier continued. “But (Rutckyj) won’t just be used as a situational pitcher, he’ll be used to get lefties and righties out.”

The Canadian also played for his home country when Canada hosted the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto, taking home a gold medal.

Rutckyj will arrive in Ottawa with the rest of Champions signings in early May.

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

In the 2017 season, there were many reasons that the Blue Jays finished with a 76-86 record. Jose Bautista's decline in performance, injuries to Troy Tulowitzki, Devon Travis and Josh Donaldson and the inability of their replacements to perform even close to the same standards. However, arguably the biggest reason why the Blue Jays struggled in 2017 was probably the fact that Aaron Sanchez wasn't able to pitch with regularity.

Sanchez, 25, came off his outstanding 2016 All-Star season in which he led the AL in ERA (3.00) and pitched a career-high 192 innings. Many pundits were worried that the increased strain on his arm (up from 92 1/3 innings in 2015) would put him at risk for injury in 2017 but it was a different type of injury problem that arose to steal his season from him.

Many different players began to complain of a change to MLB's official baseball, citing an increased number of pitchers losing time due to blisters. For Sanchez, the problem came round early. After a strong start, allowing one run over seven innings on April 8, he struggled in his second, coming out of the game in the sixth after giving up five runs and went on the DL for the first time this season. He threw one inning in his comeback on April 30 and went back on the DL for two more weeks. He pitched in two games in that return, giving up an unearned run in his first outing and three runs in six innings in his second.

Then it was back on the DL. Sanchez had a piece of his fingernail removed but, when he returned, he still developed blisters and after three starts in July, he was shelved for the season as his rehab was delayed by a strained ligament in his finger that he developed while on the DL.

Sanchez was particularly hard hit by the blister issue but even teammate Marcus Stroman felt the problem (despite not missing any time). Stroman was much more outspoken about what he perceived as a problem with the baseballs.

Overall, it was a lost season for Sanchez who made just eight starts with a 4.25 ERA and 1.72 WHP, striking out 24 but walking 20 in 36 innings. The inability to properly throw his curveball due to the blisters hampered the starts he could make.

Sanchez is hoping to have the blister issues figured out and has resumed throwing after letting the ligament strain heal. It was a disappointing year in 2017 for Sanchez and for the Blue Jays to compete in 2018, he's going to be one of the most important pitchers on the club that can take the team from being an afterthought to a wild card berth.

Contract Status

Sanchez signed a one-year deal with the Blue Jays for $2.7 million in his first year of eligibility for arbitration. The figure was quite a bit more than what MLB Trade Rumors had predicted that Sanchez would get ($1.9 million) but there are some complicated reasons that are believed to be behind the club's "generosity." Sanchez has just over three years of MLB service time, giving him three more years of club control.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: C

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

]]>2017 Toronto Blue Jays Season Review: Aaron Sanchezhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/2017-toronto-blue-jays-season-review-aaron-sanchezNew Canadian hall inductees recall their tenures north of the borderMajor Leagues (MLB)Toronto Blue JaysDanny GallagherFri, 02 Feb 2018 00:33:22 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/QRItsC2XXkA/new-canadian-ball-hall-inductees-reflect-on-tenures-north-of-the-border54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a73ac1bf9619a137193872aMontreal Expos legend Pedro Martinez, long-time Toronto Blue Jays great
Lloyd Moseby and Canada's premier baseball historian Bill Humber were
announced as the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's class of 2018 on
Thursday. Canadian Baseball Network writer Danny Gallagher participated in
a conference call with the three new inductees and has this story.

Former Montreal Expos superstar Pedro Martinez is part of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's 2018 inductee class that was announced on Thursday.

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

When Pedro Martinez found out he was traded to the Expos by the Dodgers in the fall of 1993, he was "really intimidated'' by the thought.

When Lloyd Moseby found out he was drafted by the Blue Jays in 1978, he was lost on who they were because he grew up in Oakland.

But in the end, when it mattered, Martinez and Moseby found their way and became household names in Canada, good enough that they were elected Thursday along with historian Bill Humber into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont.

This is Martinez's second time entering a major Hall of Fame, the first one being Cooperstown in 2016. The town of St. Marys should be a-buzzing June 16, the day of the induction ceremony. The strategy by voters was spot on. It's always good to see a big name from the Expos and Blue Jays elected because you know there will be a large crowd on hand for induction day.

"When I got traded to Montreal, I didn't have a good feedback about things there. I was raised by my brother Ramon,'' Martinez said on a conference call with reporters. "I was taken under my brother's wings with the Dodgers but when I heard Felipe Alou was the manager in Montreal, I felt better. I figured I would find some Dominican friends.

"When I got to spring training in West Palm Beach, before I made my seat on the ground, Felipe pulled me into his office and he said, 'You're my fourth starter from now on.' I told him it was going to take me awhile to get adjusted because I was in the bullpen the year before.''

Martinez spent four seasons with the Expos before being traded to the Boston Red Sox following the 1997 season but clearly by the way he was talking, he dearly loved his time with the 1994 squad that was denied a berth in post-season play by a players' strike and the eventual cancellation of the season. His adjustment to being a starter over a bullpen spot took some time but he earned his wings, going 11-5.

"I thought we were going to win it all in 1994,'' Martinez said. "We were a complete team, we knew how to win and play the game right. We had speed, we had heart. Felipe was a master at developing people's strengths. We were young, we were talented, we had a helluva bullpen with guys like John Wetteland, Mel Rojas and Jeff Shaw.

"The one defining moment? Atlanta teams were always the ones to beat. Cliff Floyd hit the home run against Greg Maddux. We passed Atlanta in the standings. Right before the strike happened, we beat Atlanta in two series. We were able to believe in our talent.''

As an aside, Martinez said of the 1994 team, "We looked like the smallest team but we could fight, too.''

Yes, we remember Martinez had a famous 1994 battle with Cincinnati's Reggie Sanders, who surprisingly charged the mound when Martinez somehow drilled him with a pitch in the eighth inning, thus ending his perfect game. Martinez revealed that the two eventually patched up their differences.

"Reggie and I had an opportunity to talk about it and I asked him what he was thinking. He said he wasn't thinking,'' Martinez recalled. "I remember him apologizing. Later on, I pitched a great game and he came over and he said he didn't realize how special I was.''

It was during that season and in 1995-96 that Martinez admitted he was gaining a reputation as a "headhunter'' and when he had to spend the first few days of the 1997 season under suspension, he had to make a point, especially to umpires, who were out to get him.

"I was a little frustrated,'' Martinez said. "I felt like I was being persecuted. I missed three or four starts there at the beginning in 1997 but I proved I was not just a headhunter. I struck out over 300, I was 17-8 and my ERA was 1.90.''

Despite that brilliance in 1997 on a lacklustre Expos' team, Martinez knew his time in Montreal was coming to an end and suggested to general manager Jim Beattie that he be traded to a contender. He was dealt to Boston, the last team to whom he thought he would be dealt.

Martinez recalled Alou telling him this: "I know you have to go. They can't afford you.''

While he was a pre-arbitration eligible player under club control, Martinez said he got "renewed three times'' at contract time so he was getting an inkling of how tight the Expos were with money.

"Once I was eligible for arbitration, my time was limited,'' he said. "I said I'd like to be traded to the Yankees, Cleveland, Baltimore or San Francisco. Those were the four teams. Then all of a sudden, I was traded to Boston and they were like the Expos, near last place.''

Yes, Martinez was right. And the Red Sox had the same record as the Expos, 78-84. Imagine. But Martinez hung around Boston long enough to help the Red Sox to a World Series win in 2004, thus ending a drought of 86 years. In the ensuing clubhouse bedlam, Martinez alluded to the great time he enjoyed with the Expos and lamented their departure to Washington.

"I would like to share this with the people in Montreal that are not going to have a team anymore. My heart and my ring is with them, too,'' Martinez said at the time as he was doused by champagne.

"Montreal made me grow as a man,'' Martinez told reporters today. "Montreal means the world to me. I knew how to walk the streets there. I was intimidated at first by the French but I loved it after that. I got to understand it more than I could speak it. After four years in Montreal, I realized it was the perfect marriage. I owe my career to Felipe. Going into any Hall of Fame, Felipe is one of the main reasons.''

As for Moseby, he had check up on who the Blue Jays were when he was drafted. He felt a bit like Martinez did when he got traded to Montreal. Moseby was a reluctant taker on his new organization. When he ended up in Medicine Hat, Alta. with a Jays' farm team, Moseby was thrown for a loop one day when he heard some noise and looked out the window from his room at the Assinboia Inn to see "cows and horses down on the street.'' Then he got things squared away and he spent 10 seasons in the blue and white.

Lloyd Moseby is part of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's class of 2018. Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

"When I got drafted by Toronto out of high school, I had zero knowledge of the Toronto Blue Jays. I didn't know who they were,'' Moseby said. "I grew up in Oakland where the A's had guys like Reggie Jackson and Blue Moon Odom. I said I have no choice but to embrace it with Toronto.''

Moseby's breakout season with the Jays came in 1983 when he batted .315, socked 18 home runs, 31 doubles, seven triples, drove in 81 runs and swiped 27 bases. He also topped American League centre fielders with 11 assists. For his efforts, he became the first Jays' outfielder to win a Silver Slugger Award and was named the team’s Player of the Year. He was also selected to The Sporting News and Baseball America All-Star teams.

As for the highlight of his career with the Jays, Moseby pondered the question and said, "Oh, gosh. 1985 was a special year. We made the playoffs. Bobby Cox was the manager and at spring training that year, he said we were a great team and you have to start believing that. That was the defining moment for me. That was tops. We were digging deep to figure out how to win. We grew up. We had that chip on our shoulders. We became somebodies, rather than nobodies. Teams didn't want to come and play us.''

Moseby, Jesse Barfield and George Bell formed one of the top outfields in the AL for years and now only Barfield is left to join his buddies in St. Marys.

"It would be tremendous,'' Moseby said about the possibility/likelihood of Barfield being selected to the Canadian hall. "Barfield's arm? Oh, my goodness. Jesse had the Ellis Valentine arm.''

Humber, a Toronto native who lives in Bowmanville, Ont., is widely regarded as Canada's foremost baseball historian, has made numerous baseball presentations throughout North America and has written a number of books.

Humber was a dominant force behind the formation of the Toronto Hanlan’s Point chapter of the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) and he played a central role in the organization of Toronto’s first SABR convention in 1981. He is also the lone Canadian to have served on SABR's U.S.-based board of directors, doing so on three occasions.

Baseball historian Bill Humber is part of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame's class of 2018. Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

In 1979, Humber founded a popular course called 'Baseball Spring Training for Fans' at Toronto's Seneca College. He has taught the course since its inception and it continues to this day. Amazing. In 1989, he was the main cog behind the 'Let’s Play Ball: Inside the Perfect Game' exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum, which celebrated 150 years of Canadian baseball history.

Humber's exemplary work has not gone unnoticed. He was made an honorary inductee into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004 and is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, which is awarded to Canadians who have made outstanding and exemplary contributions to their communities or to Canada as a whole.

Before today's conference call was about to start, Humber joked to Hall of Fame director of operations Scott Crawford and others, "I'm getting calls and emails from people I haven't heard from in 20 years. I'm trying to figure out which logo I'm going to put on my plaque.''

If there was anything that Humber found most memorable out of his storied career, he related the yarn about dealing with American historians when he attended an international conference years ago.

"One of the cool things about baseball history in Canada is that it's a much smaller field in Canada,'' Humber was saying. "The American history people couldn't figure out where Clifton was. They desperately concluded that it was in Erie, Pennsylvania, which made no sense. Clifton was the predecessor of Niagara Falls, Ont. That's a story I like to tell.''

As for that spring-training class, Humber pointed out that this is the 40th year of its existence. In the middle of winter, it is a concept that has worked. Wonderful.

"The idea was pretty simple,'' Humber noted. "Players go to Florida and Arizona for spring training but what do the poor fans do? I had an idea. Why not do a non-credit course in a college setting. The phones exploded. That's when people had to use phones. There was a pent-up demand from people wanting to talk baseball.''

]]>New Canadian hall inductees recall their tenures north of the borderhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/new-canadian-ball-hall-inductees-reflect-on-tenures-north-of-the-borderPedro Martinez, Lloyd Moseby and Bill Humber elected to Canadian ball hallMajor Leagues (MLB)Toronto Blue JaysCBN StaffThu, 01 Feb 2018 14:03:37 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/weuZby94_q4/pedro-martinez-lloyd-moseby-and-bill-humber-elected-to-canadian-ball-hall54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a730a4fe2c483babaf2497fFormer Montreal Expos superstar Pedro Martinez, long-time standout Toronto
Blue Jays centre fielder Lloyd Moseby and Canada’s foremost baseball
historian William Humber will be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall
of Fame in a ceremony to take place on June 16 at the Hall of Fame grounds
in St. Marys, Ont.

Pedro Martinez, the only Montreal Expos pitcher ever to win the National League Cy Young Award, has been elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

February 1, 2018

Courtesy of Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

St. Marys, Ont. – The Montreal Expos’ only Cy Young Award winner, the first Toronto Blue Jays outfielder to win a Silver Slugger Award and Canada’s premier baseball historian will form the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s induction class of 2018.

Former Montreal Expos superstar Pedro Martinez, long-time standout Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Lloyd Moseby and Canada’s foremost baseball historian William Humber will be inducted in a ceremony to take place on June 16 at the Hall of Fame grounds in St. Marys, Ont.

“Each of this year’s inductees has had a tremendous influence on baseball in this country,” said Scott Crawford, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s director of operations. “Pedro Martinez and Lloyd Moseby are two of the most successful and beloved stars to have played for major league teams in Canada and Bill Humber’s commitment to promoting the history of the game in this country has been unparalleled.”

2018 Inductee Bios

Pedro Martinez

Born in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic, in 1971, Pedro Martinez was signed as an amateur free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988. He was used primarily as a reliever for parts of two seasons with the Dodgers before he was dealt to the Montreal Expos for Delino DeShields on November 19, 1993.

It was in Montreal that his major league career would truly take off. A key member of the Expos’ rotation in 1994, when the team owned a six-game lead atop the National League East division in August before a strike wiped out the rest of the season, Martinez would evolve into the club’s ace. After registering 14 wins and a 3.51 ERA in 30 starts in 1995, he was selected to his first All-Star Game in 1996 when he recorded 13 victories and struck out 222 batters in 216-2/3 innings.

But it was his 1997 season that was one for the ages. In the midst of the steroid era, when offensive numbers were exploding, Martinez posted a 17-8 record and led the league with a 1.90 ERA. He also topped NL pitchers in complete games (13) and WAR (9.0) and his 305 strikeouts set a single-season franchise record. As a result, he became the first and only Expos pitcher to win the National League Cy Young Award.

Sadly, due to the organization’s financial constraints, the Expos dealt him to the Boston Red Sox following the season. In total, in four seasons with the Expos, Martinez posted a 55-33 record, good for a .625 winning percentage (second-best among pitchers in Expos history). He also registered a 3.06 ERA (fifth-best in Expos history), 20.1 WAR (third-best in Expos history) and struck out 843 batters (fourth-best in Expos history). He continued his dominance with the Red Sox, winning four American League ERA titles and two Cy Young Awards in seven seasons with the club. And during the celebration after the Red Sox captured their first World Series title in 86 years in 2004, Martinez acknowledged Expos fans in a TV interview.

“I would like to share this with the people in Montreal that are not going to have a team anymore,” he said. “My heart and my ring is with them, too.”

It was a gesture that Expos fans have not forgotten.

An eight-time All-Star, Martinez finished his 18-year big league career with the New York Mets (2005 to 2008) and the Philadelphia Phillies (2009). In all, he recorded 219 wins, a 2.93 ERA and is one of four pitchers to complete their career with more than 3,000 strikeouts (3,154) and less than 1,000 walks (760). For his efforts, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.

Martinez has also been very active in charitable endeavors. For over a decade, the Pedro Martinez Charity (PMC) Community Center has been operating in the Dominican Republic to educate and offer opportunities to underprivileged children ranging in age from six to 17. Martinez also runs two charity events – Feast with 45 and The Pedro Martinez Charity Annual Gala – in Boston each year that raise money to support children in his home country.

“When I got the call from Scott Crawford of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum telling me that I was a member of the 2018 induction class, I felt honoured, humbled and a bit surprised. I never expected, when I was playing the game, to be here today. I took each day like it was a dream. I was so proud to play baseball every day and was fortunate as a player to be welcomed with open arms in both Canada and the United States. These countries provided me the opportunity to play the game I love so much,” said Martinez.

“Although I only played four seasons with the Expos, the fans always went out of their way to show how much they cared, appreciated and loved me. There is a huge amount of love and respect between me and the Expos’ fans. I want to thank the people who voted for me. Thank you to all the members of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. I would not be here today without my teammates and my family. It is truly an honour to be the fifth Dominican born baseball player to be inducted, along with Vladimir Guerrero, Felipe Alou, Tony Fernandez and George Bell.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the other members of the class of 2018 – Lloyd Moseby and Bill Humber. I look forward to seeing everyone in June.”

Former Toronto Blue Jays centre fielder Lloyd Moseby has been elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

Lloyd Moseby

Born in Portland, Ark., in 1959, Lloyd Moseby grew up in Oakland, Calif., and was selected second overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1978 MLB draft. That same year, the left-handed hitting outfielder began his professional career with the Blue Jays’ Rookie Ball affiliate in Medicine Hat and quickly climbed through the club’s ranks to make his big league debut on May 24, 1980.

The charismatic Moseby would become the Blue Jays’ starting centre fielder for the bulk of the next 10 seasons. His breakout major league campaign came in 1983 when he batted .315, socked 18 home runs, 31 doubles, seven triples and swiped 27 bases. He also topped American League centre fielders with 11 assists. For his efforts, he became the first Blue Jays’ outfielder to win a Silver Slugger Award and was named the team’s Player of the Year. He was also selected to The Sporting News and Baseball America All-Star teams.

For an encore, Moseby belted 18 home runs, led the American League in triples (15) and registered 39 stolen bases in 1984. He also topped AL centre fielders with 470 putouts and his 7.3 WAR that season was second among AL position players to Cal Ripken Jr.

Teaming with Jesse Barfield and George Bell in what was considered the best outfield in the majors, Moseby possessed a potent combination of power and speed. He posted back-to-back 20-home run, 30-stolen base seasons in 1986 and 1987 and in 1986, he was selected to the American League All-Star team.

In his 10 seasons with the Blue Jays, Moseby also played a key role on two division-winning clubs (1985, 1989) and ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in several statistical categories, including first in stolen bases (255), second in triples (60), third in at bats (5,124) and walks (547) and fourth in games (1,392), runs (768), hits (1,319) and doubles (242).

He suited up for two seasons with the Detroit Tigers to finish off his 12-year major league career, before spending his final two pro campaigns with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.

Following his playing career, Moseby served as a coach for the Blue Jays’ Short-Season class-A St. Catharines Stompers and the triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, before becoming the Blue Jays’ first base coach in 1998 and 1999. Since 2009, he has worked in an ambassador’s role with the club, representing the team in charitable events and serving as an instructor with the Blue Jays Baseball Academy at various kids events across the country including the Honda Super Camps and Instructional Clinics and Tournament 12.

“I really appreciate this honour,” said Moseby. “It’s still sinking in, but I’m excited about the ceremony in June.”

Canada's foremost baseball historian, William Humber, has been elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

William Humber

Born in Toronto, Ont., in 1949, William Humber is widely acknowledged as Canada’s premier baseball historian. On top of the countless presentations about Canadian baseball history that he has done across North America, Humber has also authored several groundbreaking books on the topic, including Cheering for the Home Team (1983), Let’s Play Ball: Inside the Perfect Game (1989), The Baseball Book and Trophy (1993) and Diamonds of the North: A Concise History of Baseball in Canada (1995).

The Bowmanville, Ont., resident was also instrumental in the formation of the Toronto Hanlan’s Point chapter of the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) and he played a central role in the organization of Toronto’s first SABR Convention in 1981. He is also the only Canadian to have served on the board of directors of SABR, having done so in 1982 and 1983 and then again in 1989.

In 1979, he founded a course called “Baseball Spring Training for Fans” at Seneca College which continues to this day. He has taught the course since its inception. In 1989, he was the driving force behind the “Let’s Play Ball: Inside the Perfect Game” exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum, which celebrated 150 years of Canadian baseball history.

For his contributions, Humber was made an honorary inductee into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004 and is a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, which is awarded to Canadians who have made outstanding and exemplary contributions to their communities or to Canada as a whole. Humber also serves on the selection committee for Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and for the Clarington Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2006, he was elected to the Black Ice Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame in the writers category. He continues to be a regular contributor on baseball matters to radio and TV shows throughout Canada and the U.S.

“Researching the roots of Canadian baseball, sharing those stories, and celebrating long lost heroes, has been a lifelong passion for me, so to join them in this special place is both an honour and a humbling experience,” said Humber after being informed of his induction.

Casey Candaele Named by Toronto Blue Jays as Manager Dunedin Blue Jays, Single A affiliate in the Florida State LeagueMarc Berube Released by the Oakland A’sCarter McEachern Traded by Trois Rivieres Aigles IND Can Am League to Washington Wild Things IND Frontier League. Signs new contract with WashingtonJared Mortensen Traded by Kansas City T-Bones IND American Association to Sugar Land Skeeters IND Atlantic LeagueScott Thorman Re-signed by Kansas City Royals as the Manager in 2018 with Lexington Legends in Class A South Atlantic League

Week 2 of the BMOC features quite a jump in the number of players featured. More teams have started their seasons, which means more impressive Canadian performances. Check out the recap of the top showings from around college baseball.

Trogrlic-Iverson stymies Southern Nevada

Let’s get this week underway with an opening day start. Nick Trogrlic-Iverson (Oakville, Ont.) got the ball for the Central Arizona Vaqueros in their first game of the season and didn’t disappoint. The righty tossed four scoreless innings without surrendering a hit, he struck out seven and his the only blemish on his line was four walks en route to a 3-0 win the Coyotes.

What’s on deck: Central Arizona is preparing for four games this week. One against the Arizona Christian JVs, a pair against Gateway Community College and a single against Glendale Community College.

How about another solid start

Dany Paradis-Giroux (Laval, Que.) also threw four innings in his start this week to pick up his first win of the season. He toed the rubber in Game 2 of William Woods University’s series with Mid America Christian. He allowed a single run on two hits, walking three and striking out three.

Brian Granton (Calgary, Alta.)

Granton supports his starter

It wasn’t just a Canadian pitcher who had a big weekend for the William Woods Owls. Brian Granton (Calgary, Alta.) helped power his team to a 2-1 weekend. In Game 1 of their series he pounded out two hits, drove in a run and swiped a base in a 6-4 win. He chipped in with a hit and a walk during Paradis-Giroux’s start to help him and the team to victory. In the finale, a 16-5 loss, he went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and another stolen base. He did all of his damage out of the leadoff spot.

Coming up: The Owls fly into Mississippi for a four game set with Blue Mountain College this week.

Swift swats two

It was another impressive week for Austen Swift (Toronto, Ont.) as he makes his second appearance in as many weeks in the BMOC. His biggest game of the week came in Game 2 of William Jessup’s series with Oregon Tech. In the 11-10 loss he went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs. He connected on a solo shot in the third and a three-run shot in the 9th. He collected a walk and an RBI in a Game 3 win and a hit in a 4-3 triumph in Game 4. William Jessup took 3-of-4 from the Owls.

Next up: A midweek game versus Simpson and a three game series at Hope International.

Cunningham provides sweet relief

Another Canadian picked up a win on the mound as Hunter Cunningham (Mission, BC) came on and threw three innings of relief for LSU Shreveport. He gave up a run on a pair of hits and struck out five.

Upcoming: The Pilots have a tough week ahead. They take on Lindsay Wilson before plays #17 Clarke University and #16 Tabor College in NAIA action.

Jarryd Manick (Aldergrove, BC)

Manick the man for McPherson

Another relief appearance, this time resulting in a save. Jarryd Manick (Aldergrove, BC) locked down a 5-2 win for McPherson College over Huston-Tillotson with a scoreless 1 1/3 innings. He gave up a hit and a walk and struck out one.

Willow helps with wins

Evan Willow (Victoria, BC) helped power McPherson to a four game sweep of Huston-Tillotson. In Game 1, an 18-2 thumping, he reached four times via a pair of hits and two walks. He also drove in two. In Game 2 he had a hit and a RBI in an 8-2 victory. After working a walk in Game 3, he had a hit, another walk and a RBI in an 11-1 drubbing.

What’s next: It’s a pair of doubleheaders for the Bulldogs this week. First they take on Texas College before wrapping up with Jarvis Christian College.

Nick Seginowich (Victoria, BC)

Seginowich displays smooth swing for Salt Lake CC

Nick Seginowich (Victoria, BC) reached base in all four of Salt Lake Community College’s game this past week as the Bruins went 2-2. He recorded a hit in Game 1, a walk in Game 2, another hit in Game 3. Game 4 was by far his best performance as he went 2-for-2 with a walk and three RBIs. The two hits? A solo blast in the first inning and a two-run shot in the 6th.

Upcoming schedule: The Bruins get an off week.

Turcotte with four hits, reaches five times

It was back-to-back two hit games for Brendan Turcotte (Victoria, BC) in Hope International’s first two games of their series with Marymount California University. In Game 1 he went 2-for-4 with a RBI in the 15-3 win. Game 2, a 12-4 win, saw him match his Game 1 performance with a 2-for-4 game with a RBI. He walked in Game 3, also a win, to close out his week.

Canadian matchup: Hope International now readies for a three game set with Austen Swift and William Jessup

Miguel Cienfuegos (Laval, Que.) .... Photo: Jacques Lanciault.

Cienfuegos can hit, Cienfuegos can pitch

Miguel Cienfuegos (Laval, Que.) did a little bit of every for Northwest Florida State College last week. In their 18-2 lashing of Seminole State College of Florida he went 2-for-5 with a double and a home run. He then stepped on the mound and threw 1/3 of an inning against Lake Sumter State College. He didn’t allow a hit or run and issued a walk. He went back to the bat rack the next game against Lake Sumter recording a hit, a walk and a stolen base in the 8-6 win.

Up next: Four games are upcoming for the Raiders this week. Two against Enterprise State Community College and a pair against East Mississippi Community College

That’s a wrap for the second week of the BMOC. It was a successful week for Canadians on the diamond. Check back next week for more highlights.

If you know someone deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC column please email Matt Betts at mattbetts41@gmail.com.

]]>BMOC II: Cienfuegos, Granton, Swift, Trogrlic-Iversonhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/bmoc-trogerlic-iversonTales from an anxious baseball fanToronto Blue JaysEmily @JaysGirlEmilyThu, 01 Feb 2018 02:12:15 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/EthwTYgvVfc/tales-from-an-anxious-baseball-fan54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a72729b0d9297e8ba8ed49eToday is Bell Let's Talk Day - a day to raise money and awareness for
mental health programs in Canada. Emily @JaysGirlEmily took the opportunity
to share her own story about mental health, and the way this has
intersected with (and at times affected) her life as a baseball fan.

By Emily @JaysGirlEmily

Blue Jays from Away

Today is Bell Let's Talk Day - a day to raise money and awareness for mental health programs in Canada. I thought I would take this opportunity to share my own story about mental health, and the way this has intersected with (and at times affected) my life as a baseball fan.

I have anxiety.

No, this doesn’t mean I get butterflies before a class presentation, or feel a little awkward at a party where I don’t know anyone. Both of those are situations in which it’s perfectly normal to feel anxious. The formal diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (handed to me by a psychiatrist when I was 9) means that those, or any other kind of unpredictable situation, can cause me to be crippled by nerves at best, and at worst have a total panic attack.

That’s not to mention the general feeling of fear and unease that sits in the back of my brain and can pop up at random times with no warning. Couple that with a moderate case of ADHD, and I have a lot of energy to put into worrying. Uncertainty and anticipation are torturous. I'll be honest with you - it’s not pretty. No mental illness is pretty.

GAD can be manifested both socially – explaining why I was a shy child, how I sometimes feel suffocated in crowded places, and still struggle to make eye contact with people I’ve just met – and randomly. Throughout my life, the more random anxiety-inducing triggers have included taking public transit, ordering at fast food places, and sudden loud noises.

Among the worst of those loud noises? Fire alarms. As a child, fear of their abruptness, volume, and piercing shrillness would send me into a full-blown panic attack before I even knew what a panic attack was. In elementary school, my teachers would tell us “we’re going to have a fire drill this week.” I used to then spend the week tensely staring at the bell on the wall, hoping with every fiber of my being that it wouldn’t go off. I never wanted to be caught off-guard, and somehow convinced myself that if I remembered to think about it, I could stop it.

At the 2016 trade deadline, I had this obsessive worry that the Blue Jays were going to trade Devon Travis. It didn’t make sense from a depth perspective, but that didn’t matter. Anxiety isn’t rational. I know that losing a favourite player isn’t the end of the world either (even if he is a ray of sunshine), but I was afraid it would devastate me. I’d wake up in the middle of the night and check my phone in a panic. Just like with the fire alarms, I thought that acknowledging the possibility could prevent it from happening. I gave that fear so much attention, and breathed such a huge sigh of relief that when the deadline passed (with Travis still very much a Blue Jay), that I felt foolish afterwards.

Other loud noises that petrified me as a kid included popping balloons and fireworks. I remember going to my first Blue Jays game, in the late '90s, on a crystal clear day with the Dome open. They shot off fireworks from the edge of the roof after the national anthem, and my dad warned me that they would probably do it again if the Jays homered. I suddenly found myself hoping, for the first and last time in my life, that the Blue Jays wouldn’t hit any home runs.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen an increasing number of my Twitter friends who have been open with discussing their anxiety and other mental health struggles. This atmosphere is partly what’s enabled me to feel more comfortable talking about my own.

Then I began to wonder – are we drawn to baseball because we have anxiety? I’m not a part of any other sports fandom, so I can’t say for certain, but it seems like baseball would be more painful for the anxious than a fast-paced game like hockey or basketball. There’s so much waiting! Maybe we’re all just a little bit masochistic. Or maybe, in some small way, as we face our fears hundreds of times a game, we’re steeling ourselves for the things, big and small, that scare us in the real world.

There’s a current of anxiety running under every moment of a baseball game. This pitch – will the batter hit a home run? Will he strike out? That guy on second – will he steal third? Will he suddenly get picked off? It’s enough to drive a skittish person mad. Every pitch is delivered with varying levels of tension. It’s like the end of a spring that’s been stretched very tight, and then as soon as it’s let go – chaos. Or relief, or disappointment, or absolutely nothing. Depending on the score, that spring can become more and more tightly stretched as the game goes on, until the peak of stress makes it liable to snap before the pitch is even delivered. For playoff baseball, multiply that by a thousand.

When you have spent most of your life trying to figure out every conceivable way things can go wrong, just so you can be prepared, it’s easy to apply that habit to the near-limitless possibilities of a ballgame.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten myself all worked up with nerves about a situation, and it turned out to be completely fine. The same thing happens when Roberto Osuna is facing down Aaron Judge with a one-run lead, a man on first, and two out in the ninth. Anything can happen on that pitch, and Osuna knows it. Judge knows it. Everyone watching knows it. But Osuna deals, Judge swings harmlessly over it, and the game is over. It’s fine. Everything is fine.

Sometimes when anxiety is plaguing me about something I need to do, I will motivate myself with a reward after doing the task. If I do that terrifying presentation in class, I can stop at Coffee Culture for a latte on the way home. If I send that dreaded email to my prof, I can take a five-minute break and watch something on YouTube. Going to a baseball game is its own reward. If I make it through the stress of public transit, all the worry about dropping/losing/misplacing something important, and stay calm about being in a crowd, I get to spend a few blissful hours at my favourite place in the world. I can convince myself to push through the anxiousness because I know whatever’s on the other side will be worth it. Who knows, maybe if going to games required making phone calls, I’d get better at those too.

I know firsthand that a lot that can go wrong when going to a game. I’ve been stuck at a station in the middle of nowhere for over an hour when the GO bus randomly didn’t arrive. I’ve had my ticket fall from my pocket while walking down Front Street (and don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t instantly spotted it on the sidewalk 20 feet behind me). I’ve watched subway doors close between me and my dad – and then realized with a sinking heart that I was holding both our phones. I’ve gone to games without being certain of how I’m getting home that night.

It kind of takes the fun out of things and it often exhausts me, but I want to be there, so it’s worth it. Which is why I want to take a moment to thank all the friends who’ve helped me through those mini-crises; whether it was talking me through the panic of a no-show bus, offering me a ride home, letting me use their phone to triple-check the train schedule, or just having their company be my reward for getting there. You have no idea what a difference you’ve made.

I remember what happened last June, when Osuna admitted that he had been dealing with anxiety off the field. It’s no surprise that he works in a stressful environment, but something was following him in his daily life, rather than on the mound. The words he used to describe that feeling – “weird and a little bit lost” – were all too familiar to me. “I wish I knew how to get out of here and how to get out of this.” That’s exactly it. Sometimes your brain just doesn’t want to work, and you have no idea how to fix it.

Familiar, too, was the notion that he wasn’t anxious while pitching. As stressful as his job is, routines are comforting. It’s easy (for me at least) to lose myself in something familiar and be distracted from the noisiness in my head. It’s why I listen to podcasts on the bus, and why I read or watch TV to quiet my mind before going to sleep. In fact, baseball is typically one of those things I use for distraction. It's reliable - I know when it will be on, and where I can find it. The uncertainty of everyday life is where the real issues crop up. Apparently, that was the case for Osuna too.

What happened next is what surprised me. The Blue Jays, and an overwhelming majority of their fans, rallied to support him. John Gibbons basically told reporters to back off and leave him alone. Osuna credited his teammates with offering their support, and two in particular – Russell Martin and Jason Grilli – with sharing their personal experience on the subject. It’s easy to forget that athletes like Osuna still are human, and have very human struggles. It was heartwarming to see that those around him were willing to help and be understanding about something people are still so reluctant to talk about.

The most significant statement during that time wasn’t a statement at all – at least not one we could hear. A day after admitting that he wasn’t feeling like himself, Osuna took the mound in Kansas City and pitched, just like himself. It wasn’t a save situation (the Jays were up by six runs), but he threw a clean inning of one hit and three strikeouts. Russell Martin ran out to meet him on the mound. They shared a hug, just like they do every game, but this one symbolized a lot more. As they lined up for high fives, Martin put his arm around his pitcher, and hugged him again when the lineup was over. I’ve watched it countless times (several of them through tears), and still have no idea what Russell said, but that hug spoke volumes. It said “I’ve got you. We’ll get through this together.”

Each ballgame starts with a clean slate, and there’s always another one. If today's game was a heartbreaker, you can hope tomorrow's will be better. Even if it was a heartbreaker, battling until the last out is something to be proud of. I can’t guarantee that everything will be fine tomorrow. But I can hope it will. Most importantly, I can always hope that even on days when I feel too anxious to function, there will be someone waiting with a big smile, and an even bigger hug, willing to help me get through it.

Follow me on Twitter: @JaysGirlEmily

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Kevin Towers, who guided his team to four division titles, passed at age 56 after rbattling thyroid cancer. As Buck O'Neill used to say "don't hate people .... hate cancer."

Originally posted Aug. 12, 2011

By Bob ElliottCanadian Baseball Network

This is a story about a peanut.

One lousy peanut.

On Oct. 14, 1992, Candy Maldonado hit a three-run homer, Joe Carter a solo shot, Juan Guzman allowed one run in seven innings then relievers Duane Ward and Tom Henke slammed the door for the Blue Jays on 9-2 win over the Oakland A’s.

When Ruben Sierra flew out to Maldonado in left, clinching wrap up the best-of-seven, American League Championship Series becoming the first Canadian team to earn a World Series berth.

The Blue Jays had shed the Blow Jays tag.

While the 51,335 spilled out the SkyDome doors into the autumn sun amidst car honking, flag waving and cheering, four men walked with a purpose as they hurried to their hotel.

Four Pittsburgh Pirate scouts were set to watch Game 7 of the Atlanta Braves-Pirates National League CS.

They gathered at the bar of the Harbour Castle hotel.

Three went on to become general managers:

Jack Zduriencik runs the Seattle Mariners.

Cam Bonifay ran the Pirates from 1993-2001.

Kevin Towers is the GM of the Arizona Diamondbacks since a year ago after 15 years as GM of the San Diego Padres.

The fourth scout was Donnie Mitchell.

Meanwhile, four Jays scouts had watched the A’s-Jays Game 6 in separate locations -- either for luck or because they got on each other’s nerves during tense moments -- at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta.

Moose Johnson, Chris Bourjos, Tim Wilken and Joe Ford watched from their own rooms, while Al LaMacchia and Duane Larson were too nervous to watch. When Maldonado homer off Mike Moore landed, Wilken, in a room on the 46th floor, opened the door and screamed “WE’RE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!” He closed the door quickly .... “I’m surprised someone didn’t call security ‘there was a lunatic on the 46th floor.’”

After Henke got the final out, they met in the lobby to congratulate each other and then off to the park to scout Game 7 of the NLCS.

1 1 1 1And four Pirates scouts watched helplessly from the lobby bar in Toronto what was unfolding at Atlanta’s Fulton-County Stadium.

Zduriencik and Bonifay were scouting the Jays,

Towers and Mitchell had the Jays.

“We thought we matched up better against Oakland,” Towers said. “Carney Lansford had a bad knee and had limited range at third. We thought we could do some things with our athletic team. When Oakland got beat, OK, we still were going.”

While three of the scouts became GMs, it was Mitchell who had up with the peanut idea.

“Donnie picked out 27 peanuts from the jar of bowl of bar mix and lined them up,” said Bonifay, now a St. Louis Cardinals scout.

They watched Doug Drabek ready for his first pitch to Braves Otis Nixon with a 1-0 lead thanks to an Orlando Merced single of John Smoltz.

Towers is sipping a bottle of water in his box at Chase Field in Phoenix as he tells the story.

“After each out we threw a peanut on the floor,” recalled Towers.

Two ground balls and a fly ball ... 24 peanuts left on the bar.

2 2 2 2Again a 1-2-3 inning for Drabek, whose son Kyle went became a first-round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies, broke camp with the Jays and was demoted to triple-A Las Vegas.

Drabek needed only eight pitches, with a whiff, a ground out and a line drive ... 21 peanuts left.

3 3 3 3Damon Berryhil led off with a double, but Drabek got a grounder, a line out and another ground ball ... 18 peanuts remaining.

4 4 4 4Drabek sailed with a 14-pitch inning.

“We all thought we were in great shape with Drabek on the mound,” said Towers.

A strikeout and two ground balls ... 15 peanuts left.

5 5 5 5Just 11 pitches for Drabek as recorded a strikeout sandwiched around two ground balls ... 12 peanuts on the bar.

6 6 6 6Now Drabek had breathing room as Andy Van Slyke singled home Jay Bell off Smoltz in the top of the sixth, giving the Bucs a 2-0 lead.

“We sent out tickets out to all the scouts, by FedEx,” said Bonifay. “If we won, the Series would open in Pittsburgh.”

The Braves opened with singles by Mark Lemke and pinch hitter Jeff Treadway as Bobby Cox went to his bench, lifting Smoltz.

When Nixon bunted for a base hit, the bases were loaded with none out.

Drabek got Smith, Atlanta’s best pinch hitter, to fly out to centre ... six peanuts remaining.

8 8 8 8Drabek struck out pinch hitter Deion Sanders on a 2-2 pitch.

Another peanut bit the dust ... five to go.

Next was Nixon, the Braves table setter. Drabek got him to pop up to left field to Barry Bonds in foul ground.

Another peanut was flicked away ... four outs remaining.

Then, Drabek struck out Blauser on a 2-2 pitch.

Three peanuts to go.

9 9 9 9Three peanuts on the bar.

Pendleton led off with a double deep to right.

Next David Justice hit a routine grounder to second baseman Jose (Chico) Lind, which he clanked, now there runners on the corners with none out.

“Lind booting that ball hurt,” Bonifay said. “He’d been so solid all year.

National League managers voted Lind the gold glove in 1992 as he fielded 745 chances and only made six errors.

Now, the winning run was coming to the plate in Bream, who Drabek walked him on four pitches, ball four was his 129th.

Jim Leyland walked to the mound and signalled for closer Stan Belinda.

A look at the bar made it seem as it someone has spilled a jumbo tin of Planter’s peanuts ... Only three remained, but it would be difficult removing them with Atlanta tying the score

Belinda got Gant to line out to deep left for a scoring fly ball, 2-1 Pirates.

Another peanut was tossed away, two remained on the bar.

Belinda walked Berryhill on five pitches re-loading the bases. Justice moved to third, Bream to second.

Pinch hitter Brian Hunter popped up an 0-1 pitch to short.

Now, one peanut sat all by his lonesome on the bar.

The Bucs were an out from facing the Jays in the World Series.

Cox turned to Francisco Cabrera, the most inexperienced of his pinch hitters.

Cabrera, originally signed by the Jays’ scout Epy Guerrero made his debut with major-league Toronto July 24, 1989.

He joined the club in Arlington, Tx. as a right-handed hitting DH. He wasn’t impressive.

Someone said after the usual “so how did you find out you were promoted?” interview session “see you tomorrow at early hitting?”

“Oh, I don’t need any extra batting practice,” Cabrera said.

Cabrera hit .167 (2-for-12) in three games for the Jays and was dealt along with reliever Tony Castillo to the Braves for Jim Acker on Aug. 24.

Now, Cabrera was hitting for Jeff Reardon, with the season on the line.

“Their third catcher, 25th man on the roster,” Bonifay said.

Cabrera lined a 1-2 pitch between short and third.

“Off the bat, I thought the game was over,” Bonifay said. “I thought Jay Bell’s going to back-hand the ball and throw him out at first because he was so slow.

“When it got through, with Bream running ... maybe we’ve got extras.”

Justice scored, as Bonds moved and fired home with the creaky-kneed Bream waved.

Pirates catcher Mike (Spanky) LaValliere took the bouncing throw from Bonds a step or two up the first base line and dove to the plate.

Bream slid in.

“Safe,” signalled the late, great umpire John McSherry.

Bream’s toe was under the glove of LaValliere by about the width of a baby’s eye lash, as usual, Big John got it right.

“I was crushed, we all were,” Zduriencik said from Seattle, “we had a hell of a ball club. We were right there in 1991 and 1992. That was the emergence of the Braves run.”

The peanut remained on the bar.

“I don’t think anyone said a thing,” said Towers. “I looked at the replays. Again and again, couldn’t believe it. We were that close to going to the World Series.”

Bonifay didn’t say a word and remembers leaving quickly without watching a replay, headed to the elevator and his room.

He doesn’t recall being able to sleep.

The most experienced Pirates scout of all, Lenny Yochim, who scouted the Jays in Oakland, watched on TV from his living room in New Orleans. His bags were packed for a flight to Pittsburgh which he never made.

Yochim was in his fourth decade of five with the Pirates.

“I got to my room, didn’t turn on the TV, just stared at the ceiling,” said Towers, living in Atlanta at the time. “I flew home, everyone was doing that Tomahawk Chop.”

# # # # The chop was a part of the 1992 Series, along with:

The color guard carrying the Canadian flag upside down.

Ed Sprague’s pinch-hit homer off Reardon.

Jays executive Howard Starkman fearing Canadian fans would boo the U.S. flag coming up with the idea of a Buffalo marine guard carrying the Maple Leaf and the Mounties, entering at the same time, carrying the Stars and Stripes.

No one would boo the Mounties.

The missed triple play as Devon White face planted into the wall.

Henke blowing a lead in the ninth in Game 6, Dave Winfield hitting a two-run, single in the 11th, Mike Timlin taking over for Jimmy Key for his first save of the year.

The 1992 Series had everything.

Everything but the Pirates.

When we began this story the Bucs were in first place in the NL Central.

This was going to be a tribute to their return to greatness and 1992.

The Pirates went on a 10-game losing streak, as the Pirates went from first ace to 10 games out in a span of 13 days. No team had dropped from first to a double-digit deficit faster in major-league history.

“Why did you have to bring that game up?” Towers said as he looked away.

Subject over.

So, close, yet so far.

Towers came back to the subject on his own after a couple of seconds saying “I was at class-A Visailia last month where Doug Drabek is our pitching coach and we were talking about it. We thought we had the game in our pockets, 2-0 lead, Doug on the mound.

“As far as I know that last peanut is still on the bar.”

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman (left to righht), Bob Elliott, Jr, some other guy and Kevin Towers at 2012 New York Writers diner.

Outfielder Ian Parmley made his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Ah, Ian Parmley. A couple of years ago, I wrote an essay about how Parmley is the only player from rounds four through 10 of the 2012 draft who's still playing baseball. This was the year in which the Jays drafted D.J. Davis first and Marcus Stroman second. Matt Smoral, Mitch Nay (both taken from the Jays in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft over the past two years), Tyler Gonzales (released a couple of years ago), Chase De Jong (traded to get international signing bonus money to sign Vlad Guerrero) and Anthony Alford came next. The next seven guys were college seniors who signed for well under slot, allowing the Jays to give over-slot money to the first bunch. And in the seventh round was Ian Parmley.

The fact that Parmley is still kicking is amazing. The fact that he made his major league debut in 2017 is nothing short of perseverance. Parmley was a guy who I thought wouldn't be able to figure out better pitching a few years ago when I saw him in Lansing. He could yank BP fastballs over the fence with surprising regularity, but he couldn't get around on pitches in the game, hitting everything the other way. Going into 2016, Parmley's best professional OPS was .612 in Vancouver in 2012, his draft year.

And then 2016 happened. Playing in double-A New Hampshire, no less, Parmley hit a stunning .294/.356/.379. Ok, so his BABIP was .391 but he still hit far better than I ever thought he could. Still, his power was lacking (just a .085 ISO, although that was a career high) but a good walk rate and a career-high line-drive rate (21.0%) helped also helped.

Coming into 2017, Parmley was slated to be a utility outfielder. He joined the triple-A Buffalo Bisons and hit well again, posting a .289/.332/.369 slash line with 12 doubles and a home run in 60 games leading up until June 22. It helped that his 2016 manager, Bobby Meacham, had moved up to manage the Bisons. With Parmley having had such a good season in 2016 under Meacham, there was an element of trust that the skipper had penciling him into the lineup.

And what happened on June 23? Parmley made his major league debut. At the age of 27, he went 0-for-3 against the Kansas City Royals. He got into two more games but didn't hit again before he was sent back to Buffalo, getting sent outright and losing his 40-man roster spot.

Parmley suffered a bit of let down the rest of the way. He didn't play as much, getting into 19 games from July 4 to September 4. He hit just .169/.222/.169 on his way to a .260/.306/.321 slash line.

But 2017 was a year of firsts for Parmley. Not only did he suit up in the major leagues for the first time, but he also made his professional pitching debut. The lefty got the win in a 13-inning game between the Buffalo Bisons and the Pawtucket Red Sox, throwing two innings and giving up no runs on two hits.

Parmley's probably going to be in tough to stay on the Buffalo roster in 2018. I count at least five potential outfielders and it's going to be tough to get all of them at bats. Parmley may be on the outside looking in, possibly from New Hampshire.

Contract Status

Parmley was sent outright to Buffalo, meaning that while he's not on the 40-man roster, it was his first outright assignment and he's still under his original contract.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: IncompleteEmily: F (Small Sample Size)

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Catcher Mike Ohlman made his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward

As I wrote when discussing Miguel Montero a couple of days ago, the Blue Jays' backup catcher situation in 2017 was pretty fluid and ineffective. After Jarrod Saltalamacchia washed out, the Blue Jays tried Mike Ohlman behind the plate but he didn't get much of a chance to show what he could do.

Ohlman, now 27, was an 11th round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles in 2009 and, at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, has always been known more for his bat than for his glove behind the plate. Ohlman started the year with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, providing some power in their lineup, hitting .246/.388/.594 with three doubles and seven home runs in 23 games leading up to May 7.

The Blue Jays liked the look of his patience at the plate as well as his power (although his 28 strikeouts in 85 plate appearances wasn't so hot), and called him up to make his major league debut on May 9. He went 0-for-3 against the Cleveland Indians and went 1-for-4 against the Atlanta Braves on May 15, going 1-for-1 as a pinch hitter the next day and 0-for-1 the day after.

He was sent back down to Buffalo where, from May 24 to August 9, he hit .214/. 326/.354 with 12 doubles and five home runs before another brief call up in which he went 1-for-4 in Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay. Ohlman was returned to Buffalo and, now that he was fighting for playing time with Danny Jansen, got into just seven games in the last couple of weeks in the season and went 3-for-21 with 10 strikeouts in 23 plate appearances.

Overall, Ohlman hit .216/.334/.401 walking in an outstanding 14.5% of plate appearances but striking out in 34.6% with the Bisons. With the Jays, he hit .231/.231/.231 without walking and striking out in 23.1% of plate appearances.

While the Jays are still looking for a backup catcher to upgrade over Luke Maile, the emergence of Jansen and Reese McGuire offer better defensive options for the Jays if needed and Ohlman won't be in the Toronto picture for 2018.

Contract Status

Ohlman became a free agent following the season and has since signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers, getting an invite to major league spring training.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: IncompleteEmily: C- (Small Sample Size)

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

]]>2017 Toronto Blue Jays Season Review: Mike Ohlmanhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/2017-toronto-blue-jays-season-review-mike-ohlmanGallagher: On Canadian ball hall's selection processCanadians in the MajorsMajor Leagues (MLB)Danny GallagherTue, 30 Jan 2018 04:59:52 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/jh0F3pAHyPk/gallagher-shares-views-on-canadian-ball-halls-selection-process54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a6fac10652dea8efbb1f2b7On Feb. 1, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont. begins its
latest chapter in honouring and preserving Canadian baseball history by
announcing its newest round of inductees.

Roy Halladay, left, and Vladimir Guerrero were the headliners for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductions in St. Marys in 2017. Who will make up the class of 2018?

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

On Feb. 1, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, Ont. begins its latest chapter in honouring and preserving Canadian baseball history by announcing its newest round of inductees.

We don't know who is on the list of possible inductees but we assume that recently retired players such as Ryan Dempster and Jason Bay, both B.C. natives, would be upfront and centre on the minds of the 24 selectors. They recently passed the three-year waiting period.

I have written and tweeted several times in the past that Blue Jays legendary pitcher Jimmy Key is long overdue for election into the Canadian hall and so is Bill Stoneman, he of two no-hitters fame and an Expos' front-office administrator for close to 20 years. Somewhere in there, former major-league pitcher Eric Gagné should be a name bandied around by voters. Same goes for Expos pitching legend Pedro Martinez and former Jays GM Gord Ash.

I have a number of nominations on the table and perhaps at some point, they will get elected. Those people are former Expos' pitchers Steve Renko and Bryn Smith, former Expos scout Bill MacKenzie, former Jays scout Wayne Morgan and former Baseball Canada president Cas Pielak, who was also an International Amateur Baseball Federation vice-president.

But we don't know if Dempster, Bay, Key, Stoneman, Gagné, Martinez and Ash are even on the list facing the voters. That is all kept a secret. My thought is that the Hall of Fame should show much more transparency and openness by trotting out a news release a month before each inductee announcement, listing some possible inductees. I don't think that would be hard to do.

Director of operations Scott Crawford traditionally pre-releases the names of possible candidates for the Tip O'Neill Award for top Canadian so why not do the same for possible inductees?

By issuing a news release in advance of the announcement, the Hall engages fans in talking about it and chatting about it around the water cooler and gets media folks to talk about it in newspapers and on radio and television. What it would do is drum up interest in the Hall, interest that the hall so badly needs.

Instead, there is a secrecy that surrounds the Hall. That is not the way it should be. It leaves an air of something minor league. Should it be called the St. Marys Baseball Hall of Fame? If this organization wants to be known as the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, then it needs to be more open and transparent. Until this happens, the Hall will always be Canadian in name only.

Unlike the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, which releases names of eligible players several months before the voter results are announced, the Canadian hall keeps any names close to the vest. Are Blue Jays legends Lloyd Moseby and Jesse Barfield on the list? We don't know.

We have been told that the selection committee requested that the ballot constituents be kept confidential.

The Hall prides itself on allowing a regular person to nominate a player or individual for consideration but that same person or reporter is not apprised of any other names on the voters' list. It doesn't make sense.

What has also been kept a secret is the fact the Hall of Fame boasts a veterans' committee that considers the plight of people who don't qualify for induction through the regular selection committee. These people on the veterans committee are studied only by the Hall's 15-member board of directors headed by chair Adam Stephens. The Cooperstown hall publicly makes it known it has a veterans' committee studying some names overlooked by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

This is all wonderful that the St. Marys hall has another committee that looks at people overlooked by the regular voting selectors. But it wouldn't hurt to unlock this secret and let the public know that this veterans committee actually exists. And the names of people being considered by the veterans committee should also be made public. What harm is there in releasing names?

Bill Atkinson, the pride of Chatham, Ont., is one individual being studied by the veterans committee after he was passed over by regular voters. Among the others up for consideration by the vets group include San Diego Chicken mascot Ted Giannoulas, former Blue Jay Paul Molitor, 1984 Expo Pete Rose, Expos broadcasting legend Jacques Doucet, scout, coach and manager Orv Franchuk and turn of the 20th century pitcher Rube Vickers, who so happens to be a native of St. Marys.

Doucet already has ties already to the Hall because he's a past winner of the Hall's Jack Graney media award.

The selection committee is also an unpublicized group of figures but it does has representatives from all across Canada. The Hall's board of directors is the exact opposite with mostly representation from Ontario but unlike the selection committee, its members are listed publicly on the Hall of Fame's website. The board of directors should take a clue/cue from the selection committee and bring in more members from across the country to make it a truly national board.

As we sift through these flaws in the Hall's operation, we await the voting results Feb. 1. A joyous day. Then even more enjoyment will come on the Hall's signature event of June 16 when all of them will be inducted.

C Evan Willow (Victoria, BC) of the McPherson Bulldogs, a biochemistry student, hit .307 and knocked in four runs in the school's opening weekend.

College Wrap for Jan 22-28, 2018.

By Kevin WallCanadian Baseball Network

We follow 552 Canadian players -- at the present time -- listed on the rosters of 279 schools affiliated with CCCAA, NAIA, NCAA, NJCAA, NWAC and USCAA.

During this period, 30 schools with Canadians were scheduled to play 87 games. We found games stats for 32 Canadian players in the 84 boxscores that were available at the time of this report.

From the mound, 10 Canadian pitchers from eight schools made 10 appearances, three were starts. As a group, they worked 22 innings, striking out 23 , earning two wins and one save.

At the plate, 23 Canadian batters from 16 schools had 159 at bats with 44 hits and six home runs, producing 22 RBIs.

Dany Paradis-Giroux (Levis, Que.) William Woods

Notable pitching performancesConor Angel, Dany Paradis-Giroux and Nick Trogerlic-Iverson started one game.Hunter Cunningham and Dany Paradis-Giroux had one win.Jarrod Manick had one save.10 players had one appearance.

OF Austen Swift (Toronto, Ont.), William Jessup

Notable batting performancesEvan Willow, Austen Swift had four RBIs.Austen Swift, Nick Seginowich had two home runs.Brian Granton had five hits.Brendan Turcotte and Austen Swift had high batting averages.

Maple Ridge, B.C., native Larry Walker fell short in the National Baseball Hall of Fame voting, but his support increase 12.2 per cent from 2017.

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories:

· As anticipated Maple Ridge, B.C., native Larry Walker was not elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame when the voting results were announced on Wednesday. The Canadian slugger’s name was checked on 34.1 per cent of writers’ ballots, which represented a 12.2 per cent increase from the 21.9 per cent support he received last year. This is progress, but it’s still a long way from the 75 per cent required for induction. With his eighth year on the ballot now complete, Walker has two more years of eligibility. The seven-time Gold Glove Award winner told Mitch Melnick of TSN 690 Montreal on Friday that he was pleased with the rise in support, but he also finds it frustrating that he’s being penalized for playing 30 per cent of his games at the hitter friendly Coors Field. “No needles in my ass. I played the game clean,” Walker said in the interview. “It’s almost like Coors Field is my PED.” You can listen to entire interview here.

· In case you missed it, four ex-players – Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman – did receive enough votes to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. After some speculation that he would go in as a Montreal Expo, Guerrero (with input from the Hall) opted, instead, to be the first player to be pictured in an Angels cap on their plaque. This didn’t sit well with some of his Canadian fans, but it’s an understandable decision. In six seasons with the Angels, Guerrero was a four-time all-star, four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, won an American League MVP Award (2004) and made five trips to the postseason. If you evaluate his career objectively, it’s hard to argue with his cap choice, plus (as you can see in the photo below) he’s pictured as an Expo on his Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame plaque.

Photo Credit: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

· Montreal’s Olympic Stadium was known as a tough park to hit in, but apparently it wasn’t for 2018 Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, who garnered the most support in the Cooperstown voting (97.2 per cent). In 70 games at the Big O, his slash line was .341/.448/.549. He also hit eight home runs there.

· New Hall of Famer Jim Thome’s 612th and final major league home run was belted off of Toronto Blue Jays reliever Carlos Villanueva on September 26, 2012 at Camden Yards in Baltimore. And yes, (I had to look it up to confirm it) Thome once played for the Orioles. For the record, the left-handed hitting slugger socked 23 home runs off Blue Jays’ pitching, including nine at Rogers Centre. He also clubbed two homers at Olympic Stadium.

· Nine of 2018 Cooperstowner Trevor Hoffman’s 601 big league saves were recorded against the Expos at Olympic Stadium. It’s also interesting to note that three Canadians served as catchers for him during his major league career: George Kottaras (Scarborough, Ont., 22 games), Luke Carlin (Aylmer, Que., 10 games) and Pete LaForest (Hull, Que., 2 games).

· And while we're talking about Hall of Famers, mark this Thursday, February 1 on your calendar. On that day, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame will unveil its 2018 class.

· Fun Joey Votto Fact of the Week: According to a tweet from baseball writer Christopher Kamka on Wednesday, Votto’s .428 career on-base percentage is the second highest of any living major leaguer, next to Barry Bonds (.444). Votto ranks ahead of Frank Thomas (.419), Edgar Martinez (.418) and Wade Boggs (.415), who round out the top five.

· Happy 86th Birthday to 2008 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Gladwyn Scott! The Hamiota, Man., native has dedicated more than 60 years to baseball as a player, coach, builder and volunteer. Though he didn’t play organized baseball until he was 16, Scott eventually pitched on his hometown squad with his brother Glennis. His father, Jim, was the team’s catcher. At age 20, he began coaching and has since served in numerous administrative capacities, including managing three Hamiota teams to provincial championships. He was also a coach on Canada’s first national team, the country’s 1967 Pan Am Games entry. From 1983 to 1987, Scott was president of the Manitoba Baseball Association and a vice-president with Baseball Canada from 1986 to 1989. He also scouted part-time for the Blue Jays from 1987 to 1993 and for the Atlanta Braves from 1994 to 2001. For his contributions to baseball in his province, Scott has been inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame.

· Former Vancouver Canadians manager Rocky Bridges died three years ago today. I think the baseball card above befits the personality of Bridges, who's often recalled as one of baseball's most colourful and quotable characters. Prior to managing, he batted .247 in 919 games in parts of 11 major league seasons with eight different teams between 1951 and 1961. But it’s safe to say that he was better known for his quips than his hits. He used to joke about the fact that he played for eight different teams during his 11-year career. His four-season stay with the Cincinnati Reds was his longest. “It’s a good thing I stayed in Cincinnati for four years,” he once quipped. “It took me that long to learn how to spell it.” Another time Bridges was coaxed into going to a fancy restaurant and the waiter suggested he try the snails, “No thanks,” he responded. “I prefer fast food.”

Catcher Miguel Montero spent close to three months with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: Kathy Willens/AP

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

When the Blue Jays acquired catcher Miguel Montero from the Cubs on July 3 for a player to be named later or cash, the Blue Jays felt they were buying low on a player who would be able to help out with their backup catcher situation since Luke Maile had been injured. In addition, Montero had been hitting pretty well in Chicago, with a .286/.366/.439 slash line in 44 games as the Cubs' backup catcher.

Montero, a two-time All-Star from his days in Arizona, was having trouble throwing runners out in his 12th big league season. A player who had once led the league in caught stealing percentage, Montero was struggling and the frustration must have gotten to him one day after runners stole seven bases with Jake Arrieta starting. Montero pointed the finger at Arrieta for not holding runners well in the media and was vilified in Chicago.

Montero was designated for assignment despite his apology and the Blue Jays picked him up at bargain basement prices (The Cubs paid the vast majority of the remainder of his $14 million contract).

The problem was that Montero didn't do much after arriving in Toronto, falling into the offensive black hole that was the backup catcher slot, hitting .138/.248/.241 over 32 games and 101 plate appearances. He did hit three doubles and two home runs and improved his throwing numbers, retiring 13% of potential base stealers (up from 3% in Chicago). Still, the Blue Jays weren't exactly a team adept at holding runners: Russell Martin only threw out 20% of potential base stealers, down from 44% two years ago when he led the league).

Basically, the Jays hoped that Montero would give them more offence than Luke Maile. He didn't. They thought he might be able to throw out some base runners on the bases. He didn't. He was basically a warm body who could do the job behind the plate so that the Blue Jays wouldn't have to call up Danny Jansen or Reese McGuire from the minor leagues. He did that.

The backup catcher position is still one that I think should be addressed to some degree since I would like to see an upgrade over Maile (I think Jansen and McGuire should both be in triple-A Buffalo and only called up if they would play regularly). I don't think Montero is that upgrade.

Contract Status

Miguel Montero became a free agent after the season and has not yet signed with another team.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: FEmily: C

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Rivaled only by the evaluators, analysts, and insightful scribes at Baseball America, MLB Pipeline -- complete with its video analysis, scouting grades, draft tracker and overall projection system -- has become a one-stop shop for those who take an interest in following the development of some of baseball's most promising young talent.

In addition to posting detailed single-player content, Pipeline also ranks prospects by defensive position, team and Minor-League Baseball as a whole.

On Saturday, those behind the scenes at baseball's most complete prospecting website released their annual pre-season top 100 list.

The Angels' Shohei Ohtani grabbed top honors followed by the Braves' Ronald Acuna and the Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.), respectively.

List positioning is based off an array of individual factors including input from industry scouting directors, potential impact at the MLB level and standard 20-80 scouting grades, with 40 or under-representing below-average and 70-80 constituting an above-average rating.

In all, a total of three Blue Jays made the cut.

No. 47 Anthony Alford

(OF, Hit: 55 - Power: 50 - Run: 70 - Arm: 45 - Field: 60)

An impressive .325/.411/.455 start in double-A, coupled with a rash of untimely injuries in the Blue Jays' outfield helped earn Alford a call-up to the Bigs last May. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old product of Columbia, Missouri also fell victim to Toronto's bad luck and wound up on the disabled list himself with a broken hamate bone, diagnosed after appearing in only four major league games last May.

Having exhibited the raw tools scouts search tirelessly for during his high school career, the Blue Jays rolled the dice on Alford and, despite making known his strong desire to play NCAA football at Southern Mississippi, the team made Alford a third-round draft pick 2012. Since committing to baseball full-time in 2015, Alford has shown the ability to hit at every level Toronto has assigned him to. Entering 2018, the former gridiron standout boasts a minor league slash line of .274/.375/.401 in just over 300 affiliated contests.

Although he could certainly benefit from some more seasoning at the triple-A level, we can look for Alford to compete for a spot on the big league roster this spring.

No. 14 Bo Bichette

(INF, Hit: 70 - Power: 55 - Run: 50 - Arm: 55 - Field: 45)

After slashing .427/.451/.732 with four home runs and 36 RBI over just 92 Gulf Coast plate appearances in 2016, 19-year-old infielder Bo Bichette further asserted himself with a .362/.423/.565 line through 110 games split between low-A Lansing and high-A Dunedin last season.

Despite featuring unconventional mechanics at the dish, Toronto made the Orlando native a second-round draft pick out of high school in 2016. Their faith in the son of four-time All-Star slugger, Dante Bichette, paid off when, playing in only his second season of affiliated ball, Bichette led all minor league position players in batting average and placed second in on-base percentage to teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2017.

With the intentions of developing him as a shortstop, Toronto will likely start Bichette at double-A New Hampshire this season. Barring any unforeseen injuries or trades, those in the industry expect him to be big league ready at some point during the 2019 campaign.

No. 3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.)

(INF, Hit: 80 - Power: 65 - Run: 45 - Arm: 55 - Field: 45)

Like Bichette, Guerrero Jr. also split his playing time between Lansing and Dunedin in 2017. In all, the 18-year-old infielder slashed .323/.425/. 486 with 43 extra-base hits and 76 RBI across 527 plate appearances on the season.

The Montreal-born slugger was unquestionably the big haul out of 2015's international signing period, and it cost the Blue Jays two prospects, a total of three international bonus slots, and a $3.9M bonus to land the son of the 2004 American League Most Valuable Player.

Since making his professional debut in 2016, Guerrero Jr. has demonstrated the ability to power the ball to all fields while --walking more times than he's struck out (109/97)-- also showcasing a keen eye at the dish. Having transferred from the outfield over to third base, evaluators project that he should become an average defender who could develop into the type of offensive threat that can anchor the middle part of a big league lineup.

Recipient of MLB Pipeline's first ever 80-grade hit tool designation, Guerrero Jr. should begin the season at double-A and, barring any setbacks or health issues, has a strong chance to finish 2018 in Buffalo.

CANADIAN CONTENT

No. 94 Tyler O'Neill

(OF, Hit: 50 - Power: 60 - Run: 45 - Arm: 55 - Field: 50)

Traded from the Seattle Mariners to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Marco Gonzales last July, O'Neill slashed .246/.321/.499 with 31 home runs and an OPS of .820 across 557 plate appearances split between triple-A outposts Tacoma and Memphis in 2017.

No. 40 Cal Quantrill

(RHP - FB: 60 - SL: 50 - CB: 50 - CH: 65 - Control: 55)

In his second season of professional ball, Quantrill appeared with both high-A Lake Elsinore and double-A San Antonio, posting an ERA of 3.80 with 110 strikeouts over 22 starts.

No. 31 Mike Soroka

(RHP - FB: 60 - SL: 55 - CH: 55 - Control: 60)

Pitching to an ERA of 2.75 with 125 strikeouts against only 34 walks through 26 starts with double-A Mississippi, Soroka saw his stock rise once again in 2017.

Having received a non-roster invite to big league camp next month, the 6-foot-4 Calgary native checks in as one of the Braves' top prospects and could reach the show as early 2018.

These rankings are subject to change as the season progresses and in no way do they guarantee a player’s success in the big leagues. If anything, the list acts as a means of showing the reader where each prospect ranks amongst their peers while also providing a glimpse of what they may become.

-Follow Andrew Hendriks on Twitter (@77hendriks)

]]>Four Canadians, three Jays prospects land on MLB Pipeline Top 100https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/four-canadians-three-jays-prospects-land-on-mlb-pipeline-top-100Soroka one of Braves' non-roster invitees to big league campCanadians in the MajorsCanadians in the MinorsCBN StaffSat, 27 Jan 2018 17:57:16 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/vEf_LWWdsKU/soroka-one-of-braves-non-roster-invitees-to-big-league-camp54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a6cbbad24a694fb933862a1Right-hander Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) has been named one of the Atlanta
Braves' non-roster invitees to big league camp this spring.

After a strong 2017 minor league season, Calgary native Mike Soroka has been invited to the Atlanta Braves' big league camp.

January 26, 2017

Official Atlanta Braves Press Release

The Atlanta Braves today announced that they have invited 21 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training in 2018, including outfielder Ronald Acuña, who was recently named by Baseball America as the top overall prospect in the minor leagues.

The Atlanta Braves have been training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., since 1998. Pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training on Tuesday, February 13, while position players report on Sunday, February 18. The first full squad workout will be held on Monday, February 19.

RHPs Tate Dearing (Surrey, BC) and Brett Jackson (Abbotsford BC) both of Dbacks Langley Blaze impressed the most. Dearing has signed a letter of intent to Polk State, while Jackson is bound for Young Harris College.

Yahiro pitched 2 2/3 scoreless allowing one hit and striking out six topping out at 83 MPH. Harbut then put up three zeros allowing a hit and fanning four as his fastball was clocked at 84 MPH. Hurford pitched 2/3 of on an inning allowing an unearned run. Anderson, who registered 82 MPH, recorded the final two outs.

The Dbacks went to 2-0 with a 9-7 victory against the Minnesota Millers Varsity. SS Josh Walker (Victoria, BC) had three hits including a double, while CF Jayden Knight (Langley, BC) and SS Ryan Dauphinee (Surrey, BC) each had a pair of hits each. The other knocks went to Marchese and Nicoll.

Starter Nick Graham (Abbotsford, BC) picked up the win pitching two innings and allowing four runs -- one earned -- on three hits and five walks. He was clocked at 85 MPH. Brett Jackson (Abbotsford, BC) was next out of the shoot pitching 2 2/3 innings giving up three runs -- one earned. Clocked at 89 MPH, he fanned five. Josh Laukkanen (Nanaimo, BC) finished up with 2 1/3 scoreless allowing one hit.

Langley fell 4-3 to eXposure West in Game 3. Tate Dearing (Surrey, BC) pitched four scoreless allowing two hits and fanning seven as his fastball was clocked at 90 MPH. Jared Anderson (Victoria, BC) was next giving up four runs -- three earned -- and striking out two. Joshua Marchese worked a scoreless seventh despite walking three.

The Blaze dropped its final game 6-1 to the San Diego Show 17u. Palmegiani, Nicoll and Martin each had a base hit.

Brayden Baker (Courtenay, BC) started and worked three scoreless allowing four base runners -- one hit, three walks -- while striking out a pair. Hurford allowed five runs on three hit and two walks, while Yahiro pitched 2 1/3 innings giving up one hit and fanning four.

Next the Brewers fought Sticks Baseball Academy to a 4-4 tie allowing two runs in the top of the seventh and rallying for one in the bottom of the seventh for the tie. This was all despite the Brewers managing one hit -- a single by Daniel Gernon (Surrey, BC).

Cam Dunn (Surrey, BC) pitched two innings allowing one run and striking out two. Tyson McInnes (Surrey, BC) pitched three innings allowing one hit as he was clocked at 85 MPH.

LF Ayden Makarus (Airdrie, Alta.), Chapelle and Poole were the only Brewers to collect hits as they dropped their first decision a 6-2 loss to Minnesota Blizzard Elite Blue 2018.

Jacob Chavarria pitched two innings for the Brewers allowing one run and hitting 84 MPH. Poole worked 2 1/3 scoreless striking out three and Ewen Hall (Surrey, BC) finished up allowing two runs.

In the finale the Brewers lost 3-0 to San Diego Show 17u, as Dylan Edmands (Regina, Sask.) managed the only hit.

The Brewers finished 1-2-2 for third place in Pool C.

* * *Inside Pitch Baseball Academy lost its opener 2-0 to North East Academy managing hits by 3B Cole Van Every (West Kelowna, BC) had a base hit. Jay Taylor (Kelowna, BC) allowed one run in two innings.

2B Aden Merk (Regina, Sask.), 3B Keaton Meier (West Kelowna, BC) and C Brandon Logan (Regina, Sask.) had the four hits for IPA in a 9-3 loss to the Illinois Indians. Cole Van Every gave up five runs -- four earned -- on four hits and three walks. Riley Schick (Lumsden, Sask.) pitched three innings giving up four runs -- two earned as he fanned three.

Inside Pitch’s LF Tyren Dorrance (Alameda, Sask.), Meier, Logan and Van Every each had hits as the Baseball Academy lost 12-3 to the Minnesota Icemen. Garrett Houston (Melville, Sask.) had a scoreless outing.

And in the finale IPA lost 10-4 to GBG NW Marucci as LF Merk doubled in a pair of runs and Schick doubled. Jay Taylor (Kelowna, BC) pitched a scoreless inning. Van Every allowed three runs in one inning.

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Russell Martin lost a lot of playing time due to injury this season. He hadn't been on the disabled list since signing with the Blue Jays, but was reduced to a career-low 365 plate appearances as a result of two trips to the disabled list. Martin’s injuries, along with a slew of poor-hitting backup catchers, led to a new team record with six catchers used in one season (Jarrod Saltalamacchia started the season as the backup; Luke Maile, Mike Ohlman, Raffy Lopez and Miguel Montero would follow).

Martin set another team record – the longest hitless streak to start a season - when he went 0-for-20 over the first seven games. Despite that, he still got on base, thanks to six walks in his first four games. He hit three home runs and closed out April with a .219/.367/.391 slash line. He hit the disabled list for 11 days in May due to an irritated nerve in his shoulder, but went on a hot streak when he returned. From the May 20 through to the end of the month, there was only one game in which he didn’t get a hit. On May 29, he went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double, and a home run, in what was probably his best offensive game of the season. Though May was an abbreviated month, Martin was at his best, hitting .277/.414/.426 with two home runs.

June was the only month in which Martin walked more than he struck out (15 to 12), and he picked up another pair of home runs despite batting .172. He’d missed the first four games of the month with neck soreness, but didn’t go on the DL. He bashed four homers in July, a month which included another six-game hit streak. He slashed .241/.326/.405 but also struck out a lot, including an eight-game span which saw him take 13 Ks.

In August, Martin was injured again. He left the game on the August 11 with a strained oblique, and was officially placed on the disabled list the next day. He’d gone 5-for-25 up to that point, with 4 walks and 8 strikeouts. He returned exactly a month later, hit .206/.250/.441 through the end of September, and added another home run to bring his season total to 13.

His slash line for the full year was .221/.343/.388 in 91 games. He walked 50 times, at a rate of 13.7%, just 0.1% off of his career high with the Dodgers in 2008. With 83 strikeouts, his K rate was 22.7%, and his BB/K was 0.6 - his best mark since joining the Blue Jays. Even with missed time, Martin was worth 1.5 WAR by Baseball Reference, putting him fourth among Jays position players.

Martin played 10 games (starting nine) at third base this season. He totalled 77 innings, and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage at the position. He made three errors in 683 2/3 innings as catcher, for a .996 fielding percentage. Martin caught 12 of 60 base stealers (20%). He also allowed three passed balls, and partook in three double plays. In addition, Martin surpassed a few career milestones – he took his 5,000th career at-bat in May, and played his 1,500th game in July. He is only the fifth Canadian major-leaguer to accomplish both.

Contract Status:

Martin is signed through the end of 2019. He will make $20 million this coming season.

Regular Season Grades:

Jay Blue: C+

Emily: C+

Follow me on Twitter: @JaysGirlEmily

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

]]>2017 Toronto Blue Jays Season Review: Russell Martinhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/2017-toronto-blue-jays-season-review-russell-martinBean: Unifying the message of diversityMajor Leagues (MLB)Devon TeepleFri, 26 Jan 2018 23:53:44 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/qZVDjSGhJyw/bean-unifying-the-message-of-diversity54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a6bbcc90d92972da908b2a7Four years after Billy Bean left the game, he came out as a gay man. Nearly
20 years later Bean is the ambassador for inclusion for Major League
Baseball and is educating and inspiring others on a daily basis. Devon
Teeple recently spoke with Bean about the groundbreaking work he's doing.

Photo Credit: BillyBean.com

By Devon Teeple

The GM's Perspective

Four years after Billy Bean left the game, he came out as a gay man. That year, he spoke with Diane Sawyer on ABC's "20/20" and his life changed forever. Nearly 20 years later Bean is the ambassador for inclusion for Major League Baseball and is educating and inspiring others on a daily basis.

Bean recently spoke with The GM's Perspective and the work he's doing relating to diversity and inclusion is awe-inspiring.

The GM’s Perspective: Mr. Bean, looking back now, did you ever think you would make such an impact on others off the field after your interview aired in 1999?

Billy Bean: No. I didn’t have really any inclination of the magnitude of the story. I always looked at myself as an average big league player. I think I would’ve had much more success if I trusted my interior personal support group; my family, maybe told a couple of my teammates. I’ve come to learn that it would’ve been OK.

A lot of time had transpired and I thought it’d only be of interest if a player was famous, like a household name level of fame. There was a huge learning curve for me. I didn’t hesitate to do the story because I literally thought it would go unnoticed. I had been really off the grid and was living a quiet life in Miami Beach, much to the dismay of my family. I really hadn’t opened up to them until right before the story. It was a brutal awakening to the degree that people wanted to talk about, not necessarily Billy Bean, but a big league baseball player who was in the closet while he was playing.

I was thrust into that vortex. I had no idea there was so few role models in the athletic world in the LGBT community. It wasn’t planned. My book didn’t even come out until four years later and that was because of the volume of personal appearances I was being asked to do. In addition, I had started to speak on the behalf of Human Rights Campaign and GLAAD.

That characterized my personality during that time. I was trying to move past a lot of the mistakes I had made, perhaps feeling self-conscious and even a bit of shame on my choices while I was trying to keep a secret from everybody. Once I started to meet some of these inspiring people who also thought very highly of in the LGBT community, my whole perspective of my place in this world changed.

GMs: Your book, Going the Other Way was one of the most profound and thought provoking books I’ve read. It’s a struggle between the perceived norm and being the real you. Still very relevant today, what do you hope readers learn from it?

BB: Most of the comments I received from readers was how similar their life experience was. There’s going to be a generational component to it. The world changed once the Internet hit and everyone had access to information that they may not necessarily be comfortable talking about, but at least there to research. In my world, at that time, and at that age, you had to go somewhere and talk to someone face to face to explore your sexual orientation if it was something that wasn’t common around you.

For me, I tried to be humorous and self-effacing for most of the the book. It’s silly (the choices) you have to make to please everybody and to keep that secret in your life. I was encouraged by many to people to do the book.

I think the best compliment was that a reader, who didn’t have the easiest avenue to approach his parents about a topic or subject, gave them the book. They had baseball in common and were given the space to speak about something a little bit deeper and more personal.

GMs: You’ve been involved in multiple ventures since your retirement from the game (real estate entrepreneurship), but on July 15, 2014, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig announced your appointment as MLB’s first Ambassador for Inclusion.

Can you explain what your role is for those who aren’t familiar?

BB: It’s changed quite a bit, but I was hired as MLB’s very first Ambassador for Inclusion and that was really to the credit of some visionary people in my office who started to understand the social responsibility baseball has. It’s a comprehensive message that evolves and gets smarter as we do as a society. There was an understanding that the LGBT conversation was going to become an important one. I don’t think they had any idea how topical it would be. This afforded me the freedom to talk to our current players about social issues. Not specifically my issues or LGBT issues, but they felt confident in me being able to convey that message.

I was pretty aggressive on some ideas about how I thought we could move the conversation or get better when it came to internal programs and offered my thoughts on those. That led to me being promoted a couple times, not away from my first responsibility, but in ways we can unify and centralize our efforts to recruit people of color, women, and people from all parts of the diversity spectrum towards jobs in Major League Baseball and not just wait for one gay player to come out and make it look like we’ve conquered the conversation.

In this era there’s plenty of reasons why a player might not consider coming out as the best choice for them. I wanted people to be mindful and respectful of that. I’m sure it will happen one day, but, until it does, there’s so many ways we can move this conversation forward. As you can see, with no out athletes in the NFL, NBA, soccer, NHL, or MLB at that time, it’s still a very big consideration for every professional athlete and it’s a very personal decision. Until that time comes, my job is to continue to improve the culture where people are embraced for all the things we have in common instead of being isolated.

GMs: In saying that, there are still instances where comments are made in private and in the public. How you address and educate a team or players that have used offensive language?

BB: Every player that’s in the Major Leagues is an adult and responsible for their actions. They have a platform (social media) if they wear a MLB uniform. There’s no effort in telling them what they can or can’t say, but there is a massive effort in explaining the ramifications of those choices.

I feel that it’s imperative that we get in front of the players and offer a very general, but very clear and concise understanding of what MLB as a brand stands for. I give them some very provocative examples of athletes who have made choices and how it affected their life and career. My job is not a punitive one where I go after someone who says something in a moment of indiscretion.

There were a few examples last year. Kevin Pillar, a great young man with a great family and very popular player, had one moment where he got very, very angry at another player and said things that became a national headline within hours. I got to know Kevin last year and I know that was something he wished didn’t happen. It’s probably happened hundreds of times when people aren’t looking or didn’t catch it on camera in the past...those are the types of examples I try to tell other players about. And I think that might have been one of the most powerful learning experiences for the other 749 active players in the league that day.

The Toronto Blue Jays were very clear that, that was something they would not tolerate and made it clear that Kevin was a part of their family. We did some sensitivity training and the LGBT community in Toronto got to meet Kevin. He was willing to do some really generous things during the season and I thought it was a wonderful example of someone who wanted to make amends and not be defined by one second of his life.

The world has changed, even my era. What managers, coaches, and players were allowed to say when I played is a whole different story now. They have to evolve with that understanding.

Most days I’m extremely proud of our sport and love the effort that each team is making to unify the message of diversity. But, we’re human beings and we’re not perfect.

GMs: If I said, “You inspire those around you to be great”, what does that mean to you?

BB: I would be very humbled to hear that. I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility that goes with the opportunity I have in the great sport of baseball. That would mean that if people feel that way I need to continue to get better at what I do as well. We have a great opportunity to share a really positive message that aligns with our product. We have some amazing athletes playing right now and it’s fun to be around them.

Devon is the Founder and Executive Director of The GM's Perspective. He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Currently, Devon is a Community Manager at a financial institution in Northern Ontario Canada, and can be reached at devon@thegmsperspective.com. You can follow The GM's Perspective on twitter , Facebook, and Instagram.

Free agent Hank Conger is an option for the Toronto Blue Jays who are looking to add some catching depth. Photo Credit: Kim Klement/USA Today

By Cole Shelton

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays entered the off-season with an exact set of needs, those being infield depth, two outfielders, depth for the starting rotation, a backup catcher and bullpen help.

The Blue Jays so far have gotten the infield depth they wanted with the acquisitions of Yangervis Solarte, Aledmys Diaz and Gift Ngoupe. While, adding two outfielders in Randal Grichuk and Curtis Granderson, but have not yet gotten any help for the rotation, the bullpen or getting a backup catcher.

Last season, the Blue Jays signed Jarrod Saltalamacchia to a minor-league contract and he ended up being the backup catcher to begin the season. However, Saltalamacchia struggled and was released, and following his release, the Blue Jays employed a ton of catchers. The Blue Jays went through Mike Ohlman, Luke Maile, Miguel Montero, and Raffy Lopez, with none of them being an above average backup catcher.

The need for a backup catcher is greater every year, especially with Montreal native Russell Martin turning 35 in February. Martin can still play every day, but giving him rest should help his body and his overall play throughout the season and keep him off the disabled list. However, without a viable backup catching option, it may not make sense to give Martin a lot of time off.

Toronto has in-house options of Luke Maile, Danny Jansen or Reese McGuire to be the backup catcher, but if they look to the free agent market, here are some possible names, the Blue Jays may be looking at.

Hank Conger, 29, Switch-Hitter

Hank Conger has been a productive MLB backup catcher throughout his career and would add stability behind Martin. Conger has spent parts of seven seasons in the MLB, after opening last year in the minors before getting released. Conger last played in the big leagues in 2016 with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he played 49 games batting .194 with three home runs. Conger, however, had fared a tad better in his career as he has an MLB career batting average of .221.

Conger would most likely have to accept a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training, and then try to make the Blue Jays, similar to what Saltalamacchia did last season. Adding Conger, would be a low-risk move, and give the Blue Jays a catcher who has been a backup in the MLB for several years, unlike the in-house options.

Ryan Hanigan, 37, Right-Handed Hitter

Ryan Hanigan would provide the Blue Jays with a very good backup catcher, who can hit and be an effective fielder. Obviously, with Hanigan, his best playing days are behind him but he could provide a one-year stopgap behind Martin, before Jansen or McGuire come up to take over as the backup catcher.

Hanigan spent last season with the Colorado Rockies where he hit .267 in 33 games after he spent three seasons in the A.L. East. Hanigan’s age may also scare the Blue Jays off, given he has caught a ton of games in his career and the risk of injury is there. However, with Hanigan’s past of being able to start games, it may make sense to bring him in, in case Martin goes down with an injury, as Hanigan would be a capable starter for the time being. Hanigan is most likely looking at a minor-league contract with an opt-out if he fails to make the Blue Jays roster out of spring training, so there would be no risk in bringing him in.

A.J. Ellis, 36, Right-Handed Hitter

Another veteran who has been one of the better backup catchers over the past couple years. Ellis has spent parts of 10 years in MLB, with eight of those years being with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ellis, like Conger and Hanigan would most likely be looking at a minor-league contract, however, he would seem likely to make the team out of spring training.

Ellis spent last season with the Miami Marlins were played in 51 games —around the number of games, the Blue Jays would want Ellis to play— where he hit .210 with six home runs. Ellis would give Toronto a backup catcher who is capable of playing 35-50 games a year, and hit above .200 with five homers. Obviously not breathtaking numbers, but even with Ellis being 36 he is still a capable backup catcher and one Toronto may look to bring in.

The Blue Jays have more options than those three with the likes of Tony Sanchez, Josmil Pinto, Anthony Recker and Michael McKenry, among others but those three seem like the best fit. With pitchers and catcher reporting very soon, the Blue Jays have to make a move soon on a catcher or the backup may very well be Luke Maile again next season, with Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire as insurance in triple-A. Whatever the Blue Jays decide to do, time is running out on them to improve their roster to become a serious playoff contender.

]]>Blue Jays still seeking backup catcherhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/blue-jays-still-seeking-backup-catcherPompey striving for a healthy 2018 Toronto Blue JaysCanadians in the MajorsCanadians in the MinorsMelissa VergeFri, 26 Jan 2018 12:39:36 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/UY00aw4Pkjo/pompey-striving-for-a-healthy-201854f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a6b1e8ec830255e65e70000Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) has one goal
for 2018 -- to stay healthy. Canadian Baseball Network writer Melissa Verge
caught up with Pompey at Winter Fest at the Rogers Centre on the weekend to
talk about his 2017 injury woes and his hopes for the upcoming season.

It took two long months for Pompey to get to that point, months he says he didn’t feel at all like himself. The 25-year-old spent a lot of time in 2017 in the dark, sunglasses on, dealing with a concussion.

The Mississauga, Ont., native was injured last March at the World Baseball Classic when his face slammed into the dirt while stealing a base. Following that, concussion symptoms dragged on for more than two months for Pompey. Then, just after he came back in June, the outfielder suffered a knee injury playing for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

He hopes that this year will be different.

“If I’m not healthy, then I can’t help myself and I can’t help the team. That’s my main goal this year, that’s going to be my focus,” says Pompey.

Right now, he says he’s feeling good, and the concussion and knee injury he suffered last season are no longer bothering him.

“Everything’s good, [I’ve] been working out, [I’ve] been doing everything fine, there’s been no issues,” he says.

However, during the period of March 11 to May 20 last year, right after he suffered his concussion, things were not fine for him.

“I had a hard time remembering stuff,” he says. “I was always wearing sunglasses, I couldn’t watch TV, I couldn’t look at my phone. I didn’t know if I was ever going to feel better [and] feel like myself again.”

Although Pompey had suffered a concussion while running into a wall two years ago while playing for triple-A Buffalo, it was nothing like what he experienced then. That time, he was only out for three weeks. This time, it felt like time was passing by without any improvement.

“It just constantly didn’t get better,” he says. "It was that unknown factor that really just bothered me, just not knowing when I was going to feel better again."

He says that as time went on with no change, it was hard for his family, his friends and himself to understand what was going on.

“It’s not like a physical injury where people can see it’s a bone that going to heal, it's in my head,” he says. “You can’t see what’s in my head.”

Pompey says he reached out to Justin Morneau, also a Canadian, who suffered a concussion while playing against the Blue Jays in 2010 and had symptoms that lasted for years afterward.

“He was always there as a support system,” says Pompey. "He’s been through it, and I just recently saw him, so we talked about it. He just said to keep an eye out for some signs going forward, [and] if I feel anything that I should say something, because I still have to live the rest of my life.”

It was one morning Pompey says was around May 20 that he woke up and he just felt better, in what he describes as going from “zero to 100.” Coming back the first time into the clubhouse without his sunglasses he says it was a great feeling.

“Just from a human standpoint I just felt like a normal person again, I felt good,” he says.

Going into Spring Training this year, despite the injuries that hampered him last season, Pompey says he doesn’t feel like he has to impress the right people all over again.

“They kind of know what I can do,” he says. “I missed the whole year and I’m still here, so obviously they still value me in some sort of way.”

]]>Pompey striving for a healthy 2018https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/pompey-striving-for-a-healthy-2018Canadians Case, Romano among Jays' non-roster spring inviteesToronto Blue JaysCanadians in the MinorsJay BlueThu, 25 Jan 2018 19:29:50 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/s59kfxHZZ0A/canadians-case-and-romano-among-jays-internal-non-roster-spring-invitees54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a6a2cf0f9619ae405d5df50Canadians Andrew Case (Saint John, N.B.) and Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.)
are among the Toronto Blue Jays' 2018 internal non-roster invitees to major
league spring training. The list of invitees was announced on Wednesday.
Jay Blue has the details.

Most of these players were participating in the Blue Jays' Prospect Development Camp last week and made the trip down to Buffalo for their Prospect Showcase. I had a chance to talk to Harris, Reid-Foley, Romano, Davis and Fields while they were down there. Pentecost and Leblebijian were also in Buffalo.

Andrew Case certainly comes as no surprise as the 25-year-old had a terrific season in double-A and triple-A. Lefty Jose Fernandez, however, is a little surprising. The 24-year-old struggled at times to find his command and had moments where he was hit hard despite a high-90s fastball. Girodo has already played in the major leagues and is not surprising that the Blue Jays want to have the lefty in camp.

Highly touted prospects Harris and Reid-Foley both spent 2017 in double-A New Hampshire and Reid-Foley was actually the first Blue Jay minor leaguer to tweet out that he'd be attending major league camp. While both had their struggles in 2017, both have some upside and could potentially contribute at the major league level at some point in 2018.

Rowley, like Girodo, has already been to the major leagues but was sent outright to the minors this off-season after clearing waivers. He's another pitcher who could show up in a Blue Jays uniform at some point this season. Justin Shafer may be a little more unknown to Blue Jays fans. Shafer, 25, had a breakout season in 2017, moving through class-A Advanced Dunedin, double-A New Hampshire and triple-A Buffalo, spending most of his time in double-A. While he walked a lot of batters, he's got a heavy, sinking fastball and slider combination that could show up in Toronto's bullpen in 2018.

For catcher Max Pentecost, the invite to spring training is a nice feather in his cap but he'll likely spend the beginning of the year in New Hampshire as he continues to try to rehab his shoulder and spend more of his time behind the plate while continuing to hit. He struggled in the Arizona Fall League before getting shut down due to more problems with his shoulder.

Fans were clamouring for Jason Leblebijian's call up last year after the 26-year-old got out to a hot start. A versatile and talented defender, the Blue Jays have added some depth ahead of him this year and a call up might be unlikely.

For Tim Lopes, 23, this is his first chance to possibly get some at bats at a larger scale than in the past. He had two at bats last year and had six the year before that for Seattle. Still, Lopes is likely to start the year in Buffalo after a solid season with the Fisher Cats.

In the outfield, Roemon Fields, 27, is a conceivable big league call up despite the increasing numbers of outfielders that the Blue Jays will have in double-A and triple-A ahead of him. Fields' speed and defensive prowess will be on display and you'll be sure to hear Buck Martinez and Pat Tabler speak ad nauseum about his time working for the US Postal Service before signing with the Blue Jays.

Recently married Jonathan Davis, 25, will also join big league camp in February. He's got the least chance of any of the outfielders available to the Blue Jays in spring training of breaking with the big club. No knocks against Davis as he had another strong season in 2017, this time in double-A. With the signings of Granderson and the trade for Grichuk, he's got a growing list of players ahead of him on the depth charts.

Note that all of the players on the 40-man roster are automatically at spring training. This means that the prospects added to the 40-man before the Rule 5 draft (like Danny Jansen, Reese McGuire, Thomas Pannone and Rowdy Tellez) are going to be there too. Newly acquired Taylor Guerrieri (claimed on waivers) and Gift Ngoepe will also join the team as well as those players added to the 40-man and not removed during the season (like Dwight Smith Jr., Anthony Alford, Ryan Borucki, Richard Urena, Carlos Ramirez, Tim Mayza, Matt Dermody and Danny Barnes).

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Check out the Handbook page for more information!

Major League Baseball teams don’t report to Spring Training until next month but there is baseball currently being played. Two Canadians got their college baseball seasons underway this past week. Check out how they performed below.

No slow start for Swift

Austen Swift (Toronto, Ont.) was ready to go when the first pitch of 2018 was thrown. He went 7-for-15 during the opening weekend for William Jessup University as they split their four game series with Corban University. In Game 1 Swift had a hit and a pair of RBIs in an 8-3 win. Game 2 was his best game of the series as he went 4-for-4 with another two RBIs and three runs scored in the Warriors second win. Corbin bounced back to win Games 3 and 4 but Swift managed to go 2-for-5 with a RBI in Game 3 and walked three times in the finale.

Playing for the Lincoln Potters last summer he earned Great West League second team honours hitting .310 on the season with four home runs and 11 doubles. Swift drove home 39 runners and scored 33 times. He played in the All Star game, where he also powered one out of Nettleton Stadium in Chico.

Coming up: The Warriors are preparing for a four game series with Oregon Institute of Technology this weekend.

Schindel, San Diego Christian undefeated early

Okay, so they’re only three games in but the San Diego Christian College Hawks must be happy with their 3-0 start. They took down Providence Christian College 4-3 in Game 1 of their series to get things going in 2018. Tyler Schindel (Victoria, BC) chipped in with a hit, two walks and a RBI in the win. Schindel had another hit and walk in Game 2, a 10-5 Hawks win. The sweep was complete following an 8-0 Hawks win in Game 3.

Get ready: San Diego Christian is set to face four opponents this week, including a rematch with Providence Christian College. They will also take on Benedictine University at Mesa, Arizona Christian and Marymount California University to continue a busy start to 2018.

The BMOC is back and will only heat up as the days pass. It may not feel like spring in many parts of the country but college baseball has started and soon will be in full force. Check back each week to see the top performances from Canadian players.

If you know someone who is deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC column please email Matt Betts at mattbetts41@gmail.com

Left-hander Tim Mayza made his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2017. Photo Credit: Jay Blue

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

The Blue Jays drafted lefty Tim Mayza in the 12th round of the 2013 draft and he has worked his way steadily through the organization until making his big league debut on August 15, 2017. While he was on the team's radar after spring training in 2016, he spent most of that season in class-A Advanced Dunedin, tossing 15 1/3 innings in double-A New Hampshire.

In 2017, Mayza shouldered a heavier workload in the spring, getting into 10 big league games and posting a 3.86 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, striking out nine and walking only one before heading back to New Hampshire to start the year.

While the numbers in New Hampshire weren't necessarily in his favour, Mayza still made an impression, likely from his very high 28.8% strikeout rate with a decent (if slightly high) 10.3% walk rate. Mayza was promoted to triple-A Buffalo and the numbers turned around. In 19 1/3 innings over 11 games, Mayza had a 0.93 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, striking out 19.8% and walking 8.6%.

He found out he was getting called up to the big leagues while on a long bus trip back to Buffalo from Toledo in the middle of the night. He was told that there would be a car waiting for him in Buffalo to take him to Toronto.

While he gave up two hits in his major league debut, Mayza didn't give up any runs, nor did he give up any in his second outing, striking out two to get out of an inning despite giving up a hit. Overall, Mayza was very impressive, striking out 27 in just 17 major league innings despite getting a 6.88 ERA hung on him. His 1.65 WHIP was high but he was giving up hits rather than walks (just four walks) and his BABIP was an astonishingly high .467.

Of course, being a lefty, what's important are his splits. Lefties hit for just a .506 OPS against him in the major leagues while righties hit for a 1.185 OPS, hitting three home runs and two doubles in 42 plate appearances. Obviously if Mayza can figure out how to get righties out in addition to lefties, he can be a dominant reliever against both sides.

With a fastball that sits 92-96 mph and touches 98, Mayza has a big arm and a solid slider that play, particularly against lefties. He could very well step in and be the Blue Jays' LOOGY in 2018 although there will be competition with Matt Dermody for that role in the spring (without another lefty being added to the mix via trade or free agency). Mayza is now 26 and will be competing for a big league job in 2018.

Contract Status

Mayza has 47 days of service time under his belt, meaning that he still has rookie status and will make the major league minimum if in the majors.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: C+(the plus is for his excellent strikeout-to-walk rate)

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]]>2017 Toronto Blue Jays Season Review: Tim Mayzahttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/2017-toronto-blue-jays-season-review-tim-mayzaExpos legend Guerrero joins Jones, Thome, Hoffman in 2018 HOF classMajor Leagues (MLB)CBN StaffWed, 24 Jan 2018 23:42:45 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/MwSlvZ2FikY/expos-legend-guerrero-joins-jones-thome-hoffman-in-2018-hof-class54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a6915d5f9619a95d0c0b782Montreal Expos legend Vladimir Guerrero has been elected to the National
Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Joining him in the class of 2018 will
be Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman. The four new inductees will
be honorued as part of the Hall’s Induction Weekend July 27-30 in
Cooperstown, N.Y., along with pitcher Jack Morris and shortstop Alan
Trammell, who were elected in December by the Modern Baseball Era
Committee.

Legendary Montreal Expos slugger Vladimir Guerrero has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Two former Most Valuable Players, a member of the 600-home run club and a pitcher for whom the National League award for relievers is named were elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Wednesday in the 2018 BBWAA balloting, verified by Ernst & Young and announced by Hall president Jeff Idelson on MLB Network.

Third baseman Chipper Jones, outfielder Vladimir Guerrero, infielder Jim Thome and relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman will be honoured as part of the Hall’s Induction Weekend July 27-30 in Cooperstown, N.Y., along with pitcher Jack Morris and shortstop Alan Trammell, who were elected in December by the Modern Baseball Era Committee.

Also being honoured that weekend will be the Ford C. Frick Award winner for broadcasting, Bob Costas, and the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for writing, Sheldon Ocker.

There were 422 ballots, including one blank, submitted by eligible members of the BBWAA, writers with 10 or more consecutive years of service. Jones was the leading vote getter with 410, which accounted for 97.2 percent of the vote, which ranks 11th all-time in plurality. Players need to appear on 75 percent of ballots cast to earn election to the Hall. The cutoff point this year was 317.

Guerrero, in his second year on the ballot, received 392 votes (92.9) percent, followed by Thome with 379 votes (89.8) and Hoffman with 337 votes (79.9). Like Jones, Thome was also on the ballot for the first time, bringing to 54 the amount of players elected in their first year of eligibility. Hoffman, who missed election in 2017 by five votes, was in his third year of eligibility.

This year marks the fourth time that four players have been elected by the BBWAA in the same year and the second time in the past four ballotings. Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio were elected in 2015. The other years were 1947 (Lefty Grove, Carl Hubbell, Mickey Cochrane, Frankie Frisch) and 1955 (Joe DiMaggio, Gabby Hartnett, Ted Lyons, Dazzy Vance). The record total remains the original class of 1936 with five members (Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson).

Falling 20 votes shy of the required total for election was third baseman-designated hitter Edgar Martinez, who in his ninth year of eligibility polled 297 votes (70.4). Players may remain on the ballot for up to 10 years provided they receive five percent of the vote, which this year was 22. Also named on more than half the ballots were pitchers Mike Mussina (63.5) and Roger Clemens (57.3), outfielder Barry Bonds (56.4) and pitcher Curt Schilling (51.2).

The only other first-year candidates among a group of 19 who received more than five percent of the vote were shortstop Omar Vizquel (37.0), third baseman Scott Rolen (10.2) and outfielder Andruw Jones (7.3). In addition, sufficient support to remain on the ballot was achieved by relief pitcher Billy Wagner, first baseman Fred McGriff, second baseman Jeff Kent and outfielders Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.), Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield and Sammy Sosa.

Chipper Jones, 45, was the NL MVP in 1999 and posted a .303 career batting average – featuring a .364 mark in his batting title year of 2008 – with 2,726 hits, including 468 home runs, over 19 seasons, all with the Atlanta Braves. One of 52 Hall of Famers who spent the entirety of his career with one club, Jones is one of only nine players in history – and the only switch hitter – with at least a .300 batting average, .400 on-base percentage, .500 slugging average and 400 home runs, along with Ruth, Ramirez, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Mel Ott, Stan Musial, Frank Thomas and Ted Williams. Jones, an eight-time All-Star, is also the only player who appeared in at least 50 percent of his games at third base to record at least 1,600 runs batted in and score at least 1,600 runs.

Guerrero, who turns 43 next month and becomes the youngest current Hall of Famer, was the MVP in the American League in 2004, his first season with the then Anaheim Angels, when he batted .337 with 39 home runs and 126 runs batted in, plus league-leading totals in runs (124) and total bases (366). The Dominican Republic native also played for the Montreal Expos, Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles in a 16-season career in which he compiled a .318 batting average and .553 slugging percentage, one of only eight former players in history to do so. The others were Foxx, Gehrig, Musial, Ruth, Williams, DiMaggio and Rogers Hornsby. Guerrero was an eight-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award, seven times as a right fielder and once as a designated hitter, in 2010, when he won the Edgar Martinez Award as the league’s top DH. The nine-time All-Star batted .300 in 13 seasons, including 12 years in a row, had four 200-plus hit seasons, drove in 100 or more runs 10 times and scored 100 or more runs six times.

Thome, 47, finished his 22-season career with 612 home runs, the eighth-highest total in history, and one RBI shy of 1,700 while batting .276 and compiling a .956 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OBP). He is one of only five players in big league history with at least 500 homers, 1,500 runs, 1,600 RBI and 1,700 walks, along with Bonds, Ott, Ruth and Williams. The corner infielder spent 13 seasons with the Cleveland Indians and also played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Orioles.

The 601 career saves and 856 games finished for Hoffman, 50, are second only to Mariano Rivera’s respective totals of 652 and 952. Major League Baseball established relief pitcher awards in honour of Hoffman (NL) and Rivera (AL) in 2014. Hoffman was named the NL Fireman of the Year by the Sporting News in 1996 and 1998 and won the NL Rolaids Relief Awards in 1998 and 2006. Hoffman, whose career spanned 18 seasons with the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers, finished in the top 10 of NL Cy Young Award voting four times and was the runner-up twice, in 1998 and 2006. The seven-time All-Star had 30 or more saves in 14 of 15 seasons from 1995 through 2009 and converted 41 consecutive save opportunities, a record since surpassed.

The BBWAA has elected 16 players to the Hall over the past five years, the largest total over a five-year span, breaking the previous mark of 13 from 1952-56. The Hall of Fame now has 323 elected members, including 226 players, of which 128 have come through the BBWAA ballot. The average ballot in the 2018 election contained 8.46 names with 50 percent of the voters using all 10 slots.

Luke Maile served as the back-up catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays for a good portion of the 2017 season. Photo Credit: Wikipedia

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

The Blue Jays started the 2017 season with Jarrod Saltalamacchia as their backup catcher. The Jays picked up catcher Luke Maile on waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays just after the start of the season and stashed him in triple-A Buffalo. When Saltalamacchia struck out more often than, well, pretty much anything and wasn't getting great reviews for his defence, the Blue Jays brought up defensive specialist Maile from Buffalo where he was hitting .195/.214/.195 (so yeah, we hope they brought him up for his defence).

From the end of April until the beginning of July, I'd be comfortable saying that Maile played more than some people might like. He played in 33 games and hit .121/.154/.202 with a pair of doubles and a pair of home runs in 104 plate appearances.

Right knee inflammation put him on the DL and he returned in August, playing a week in Dunedin and then another week in Buffalo before rosters expanded and he was called back up to Toronto. In the final month of the season, Maile was definitely better with the bat, hitting .226/.250/.323 with three doubles in 32 plate appearances.

Overall, Maile's numbers at the plate aren't great with a .146/.176/.231 slash line and he walked in only 2.2% of his plate appearances while striking out in 25.7%. He was so bad at the plate that his wRC+ (weighted runs created plus, with 100 being a league average creation of runs) was 0. Yup. 0. That's unbelievably bad. Fortunately, Maile is good defensively. Pitchers seem to like throwing to him and he threw out 35% of potential base stealers (well above the league average of 27%).

Maile is still on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster and is in line to back up Russell Martin yet again. Even though minor leaguers Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire are close to the majors, the Blue Jays haven't signed a plethora of high-minor league catchers to fill the gaps in the system leading me to believe that both Jansen and McGuire will get playing time in Buffalo and that Maile is currently slated to be the back up catcher in the majors. That said, I think that Maile will not be asked to play an everyday role in case of an injury to Martin. Having Jansen and McGuire playing (mostly) every day Triple-A will allow the Jays to call one of them up to play every day in the majors with Maile remaining in a backup role.

Contract Status

Maile is not eligible for arbitration likely until 2020.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: D

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Visit the Handbook page for more information!

Now that the season is over, the crew at Blue Jays from Away will take a look at the Blue Jays one by one and review how each player’s season went, whether he met expectations (or not) and look at how he fits into (what we think of) the Blue Jays’ plans going forward.

Aaron Loup, in his sixth season with the Blue Jays, rebounded somewhat, in his overall stats but looking closer we see a pitcher who struggled with walks while also failing to get left-handed batters out with anymore regularity than right-handed hitters.

Since breaking in as a lefty reliever, Loup has had his ups and downs but the intriguing thing about him is that he's survived injuries and demotions but has managed to stick with the big league club. He's always been the second lefty reliever while Brett Cecil was around and when he wasn't, he became the "go to" lefty, except when John Gibbons couldn't be confident in going to him. The only problem is that the Jays, while having some promising lefty relievers, haven't had any to wrest the job of primary LOOGY away from Loup.

In 2017, Loup was definitely better in the second half as he lowered his OPS against by 71 points and increased his strikeouts per nine inning rate by almost two and a half. That said, it wasn't a clean split as he had a strong April and May (1.04 ERA and 3.27 ERA, respectively). Loup had a horrible June, giving up eight runs in 8 1/3 innings over 12 games, but three of those eight runs came from his last outing of the month. Loup was better in July, posting a .607 OPS (even better than in March/April) but still had an ERA of 5.73 despite a strong 13-to-4 strikeout to walk ratio. Take away an outing against Houston (in a 19-0 loss) on July 9 in which he gave up four runs (three earned) without retiring a batter and the situation improves. Take away his next outing, in which he gave up three runs on July 15 (in an 11-1 loss to Detroit) would obviously make things even better but we can't exactly do that, can we?

Loup's August was on the down side but his ERA didn't reflect it. He had an .833 OPS against, walking seven and striking out 15 in 11 innings but had a 2.45 ERA, allowing runs in only two of his outings and getting lucky enough that the hits and walks didn't score on a monumental scale. Finally, in September/October, the peripherals and main stats all lined up as he tossed 7 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out seven but allowing only four hits in his 10 appearances and had a .500 OPS against and a 1.17 ERA.

So in the months that he allowed fewer hits and walks, he gave up runs (possibly from guys relieving for him allowing inherited runners to score) and in the months that he was hit harder, he had a low ERA.

Overall, Loup threw 57 2/3 innings with a 3.75 ERA and 1.53 WHIP, striking out 24.2% of batters (exactly the same as the year before and just 0.5% down from 2015) but he walked 10.9% of batters, the most he's walked since 2014 and the highest rate of his major league career. One quirk of his season is that Loup's OPS against lefties and righties was exactly the same (.721) with a slight bump in OBP against righties and slight bump in SLG against lefties.

With a $1.8125 million contract for 2018, Loup is hardly expensive. I'm sure the Blue Jays would love for one of Matt Dermody or Tim Mayza to emerge as a legitimate LOOGY since Loup isn't one at all.

Contract Status

The Blue Jays avoided arbitration with Loup, signing him to a one-year deal worth $1,812,500 for 2018. He currently has just over four years of MLB service time under his belt and will be eligible for free agency after the 2019 season at the earliest.

2017 Regular Season Grades

Jay Blue: C

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]]>2017 Toronto Blue Jays Season Review: Aaron Louphttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/2017-toronto-blue-jays-season-review-aaron-loupEx-Expos, Jays among non-vested retirees looking for more moneyMajor Leagues (MLB)Danny GallagherWed, 24 Jan 2018 12:59:55 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/mLoD6f2OveY/ex-expos-and-jays-among-non-vested-retirees-looking-for-more-money54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a687d6b8165f56ff887be32Canadian Baseball Network writer Danny Gallagher shares the plight of some
retired Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos players who are receiving very
little financial support from MLB and the MLBPA because they played their
last major league game before 1980.

Former Montreal Expo Don Bosch is among the ex-major leaguers who feels he has been shortchanged by MLB and the MLBPA in retirement.

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Dennis DeBarr, an original Blue Jay, is barely getting by in Modesto, Calif.

Don Bosch, an original Expo, claims he isn't too bad off but really, he's just scraping by in Fort Jones, Calif.

DeBarr and Bosch are victims of a long-ago decision that left 500 remaining players like them with very little in the way of a pension even though they spent very little time in the majors. They are referred to as non-vested retirees.

Consider this: DeBarr's take-home pay in a lump-sum payment after taxes per year is $589 U.S. You read that right. It works out to close to $50 per month. DeBarr has a small pension based on a 25-year stint in construction and he will receive his Social Security money at age 65.

DeBarr appeared in 14 games for the 1977 expansion Jays but he accrued 74 days of service, which would qualify him under today's requirement standard, giving him a $34,000 annual pension.

"I don't call it a pension. I call it blood money, a bone that has been thrown at these men,'' said U.S. freelance writer Doug Gladstone, who wrote a book called A Bitter Cup of Coffee: How MLB and The Players Association Threw 874 Retirees a Curve. "The rules for receiving MLB pensions changed in 1980. Bosch and about 500 others do not get pensions because they didn’t accrue four years of service credit. That was what ballplayers who played between 1947-1979 needed to be eligible for the pension plan.

"Many of the impacted retirees are filing for bankruptcies at advanced ages, having their homes foreclosed on and are so poor and sick they cannot afford adequate health insurance coverage. They are being penalized for playing the game they loved at the wrong time.''

After income taxes and other fees, Bosch's annual take-home pay each February is $4,176.35, decidedly better than what DeBarr receives but it's barely sufficient to keep him going.

On top of that, Bosch gets the Social Security pension, which he would not reveal, after years of toiling in the construction and cast-stone business. That's what he lives on: a MLB payout and Social Security payments. His business "went under'' a decade ago so he has no savings so to speak of.

What ruffles Bosch's psyche is that his MLB payout cannot be transferred to loved ones or a designated beneficiary when he dies and further more, he doesn't qualify for any MLB health-insurance benefits under the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiated between the players' association and MLB. What they receive is called "unqualified retirement payments.''

"I'm OK. I have enough to get by,'' Bosch, 75, was saying from his home near the Oregon border. "They signed a five-year contract a while back. I don't know if they can change it or re-negotiate it. To think we don't have medical insurance, that is devastating for older people.

"If you took every nickel I made from the time I started playing pro ball in 1960 to the time I quit, it would amount to what some of these guys these days make in one game. I feel like they treated us likes pieces of meat. We're disposable players,'' Bosch added.

Bosch didn't quite reach the four years of service required to be an official, vested retiree. He started his big-league career of 340 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1966 and played two seasons with the Mets before being traded to the expansion Expos in time for the 1969 season.

Bosch is credited with scoring the very first run in the first-ever, big-league game played in Canada on April 14, 1969. He never played again in the majors following the 1969 season because of an injury.

There was no incident in particular that Bosch remembers but he said he hurt his left knee in 1969 when it locked up. He entered a Montreal hospital in July of that year and underwent surgery, if they called it that, in those days. He came out of the surgery a different athlete.

"It was exploratory surgery in those days. They gave me a butcher,'' Bosch said. "They took x-rays. I had knee surgery and never saw the doctor again. I was in the hospital and watched on TV when they (Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin) walked on the moon.

"I woke up in quite a bit of pain. I was in hospital for about a week. Nobody from the front office called me, not a player called me, not even a trainer to see how I was doing. There was no rehab. I was sent home to California. My knee was taped up so tight I couldn't bend my knee.''

One thing Bosch discovered the following year when he went to spring training and spent some time in the minors was that he just wasn't the same ballplayer because of the injury and surgery.

"Balls I could catch in my hip pocket, I couldn't get to them anymore,'' Bosch said. "I was not going to hang onto baseball until I was 40 years old. I was 27 years old. When you play at the major-league level and have knee surgery and you lose a step, that's the end of your career.

"That's what happened to me. I was marginal to start with. Then I had knee surgery and you're no longer good at what you do and that's to play centre field. I have six-inch scars on each side of the kneecap.''

For the last seven years, thanks to cooperation between the union and MLB, Bosch and other affected players have been receiving payments. Gladstone said the late union leader Michael Weiner was the person behind the thrust to giving these players some assistance. Weiner saw how important it was to care for these former players. Gladstone's book was released in 2010 so it helped spur action a year later.

MLB officials didn't have to negotiate a deal with the union to help out these players. The deal in the old days was that a player had to reach four years to qualify for a pension. If you didn't, then you got nothing. At least, these players are getting something. The maximum any one of these non-vested retirees can get each year has also been capped at $10,000.

Gladstone bemoans the fact that the union's players' pension and welfare fund is valued at close to $2.7-billion, according to Forbes magazine. Union publicist Greg Bouris said he doesn't know what the fund is worth but admits a lot of money is going to be needed to pay pensions for vested retirees over the coming years.

“To say the players’ association has abandoned these non-vested players is a gross miscalculation,’’ Bouris said. “MLB had no obligation to bargain over these benefits. To their credit, they agreed to negotiate this program. They felt it was something that had to be done. The greatest accomplishment is to be able to provide this money on an annual basis to the non-vested retirees.’’

Among the other Expos, who are non-vested retirees are Canadian Bill Atkinson of Chatham, Ont. Then there are guys like Gerald Pirtle, who appeared in 19 games, all of them in relief. All told, over the three months he was on an active major league roster, he notched 25 2/3 innings to his credit.

Nowadays, as Gladstone pointed out, that would guarantee Pirtle a minimum pension of $34,000 based on a player being on an active roster for at least 43 days.

Other former Expos on the non-vested list include Don DeMola, Pat Scanlon, Jim Cox, Jeff Terpko, Garry Jestadt and Bill Dillman. Other former Blue Jays besides DeBarr in the mix include Steve Grilli, Tom Bruno and Jeff Byrd.

Atkinson said he probably would have qualified for the four-year service period had it not been for an injury he suffered during the 1978 Pearson Cup exhibition game between the Expos and Blue Jays. In an ill fated decision, Atkinson was sent home on a suicide-squeeze play.

In the end, Atkinson was never the same, just like Bosch. He never played again in the majors after a stint with the Expos in 1979.

"They went back to 1980 with this payout. If they went back one year to 1979, I'd be in the vested plan. I'd be happy,'' Atkinson said. "It depends on who you are. It's all politics. I'm not going to argue with it. It's one of those things. The money these guys are making today, they've got it made.''

Atkinson, 63, took his Canada Pension Plan at age 60 and in two years, he will get his Old Age Security pension. He also is helped out by a pension based on his 25-year stint as a mechanic with Crown Cork and Seal.

One man close to all of this brought up the point that in most industries such as GM, Ford, newspaper companies and the like, there is no such thing as retroactive pay for employees with very little period of time worked. He brought up the point where somebody who had only worked a few months wouldn't be cared for by most or all companies with any back pay.

"This plan is for players who weren't in the majors very long,'' said a person close to the scene.

When DeMola finished playing, he spent a long time in the fur business and currently sells beds for Sleep Number. He has heard that there is close to $3-billion in the MLBPA pension fund, according to the alumni group MLBPAA. He said he grosses $6,500 and his take-home pay is about $4,800.

"I was told by a big guy with the MLBPAA that there isn't enough money in the pension fund to give us a regular pension. I find that laughable,'' DeMola said.

Bosch has self-published a 100-page book that you can obtain at amazon.com for $12 U.S. It's called A Second Journey Through Life. There is nothing in it about baseball but Bosch offers up thoughts that may be interesting to readers.

"It's intended as a coffee-table kind of book, something you can pick up anytime. Each page is different, a poem, some prose,'' Bosch explained.

It was Bosch's decision and his decision alone but he said has not communicated with anybody in baseball he played with since he retired. He doesn't consider himself a recluse but he just wanted to sever ties with baseball.

"I just wanted to move on with my life,'' Bosch said. "Nobody contacted me and I contacted nobody. I've never been bitter. I just moved on. I've got stories to tell and memories. I got to do what a lot of people didn't do. I got to travel and meet a lot of people. In 1969, we were a bunch of nobodies with the Expos. What could we do? We just weren't very competitive.

"I have one memorable thing that happened. I remember like it was yesterday. In May of 1969, the Cubs were supposed to play the Game of the Week but they got rained out so we were the backup game. It was sleeting ice rain at Jarry Park but we had to play anyway.

"Now here's the scene. We're playing Cincinnati in the top of the ninth. Cincinnati had runners at first and second with two out and we're ahead 3-2. Tony Perez is hitting and Elroy Face is pitching. I'm playing centre field and Perez hits one over my head and I caught it at the fence to make it three out. And we won. That’s my greatest memory with the Expos.’’

DeBarr was supposed to be the Jays' closer in their inaugural 1977 season but they lost so many games that he very rarely got into a save situation. in fact, he never saved a game.

"I do remember the fans were outstanding,'' DeBarr said. "I remember when we were in spring training and the pitching coach (Bob Miller) said that if you weren't good enough in baseball that you'd be doing what they are doing and he pointed to people working in construction in a field. I didn't like the pitching coach and I don't think he liked me. I was a Christian and maybe he thought that made me too soft a person. And I chewed licorice, not chewing tobacco.

"I remember before a regular-season game, Reggie Jackson and I met in left field and he said, 'Hey, rook, come over here.' We were both from the Oakland area. He was making a few million a year and I was making the minimum wage. He said, 'I put my pants on the same way as you.' There was one game I struck him out on a slider and we both looked at each other and he seemed to be saying,' Welcome to the big leagues.' ''

For many years, Bruno has operated Major League Adventures, a hunting and fishing-guide service based out of Pierre, South Dakota and he holds a "master captain" credential from the U.S. Coast Guard to operate a charter boat for hire. Bruno went to school in Port Aransas, Texas at the Sea Academy to take the necessary exams so he could be a boat captain.

The issue of non-vested payments hits a chord with Bruno. He thinks all players should be treated equal. If the current rule is that players can get a $34,000 annual pension based on only 43 days of service then the players of his time should get the same kind of money.

"I'm not going to be judgmental but the important thing is that we should get the same plan as they have now,'' Bruno said. "But nobody wants to acknowledge that we played Major League Baseball before 1980. It doesn't make sense. We'd like to be equal. We feel we're being penalized for playing Major League Baseball at the wrong time.

"I bet that if they changed the current rule to say that we all get the same kind of money like us that they'd be screaming all the way from Canada to Florida,'' Bruno said.

Just so you know, the non-vested players are officially paid with cheques that come from MLB but there is more to the scenario than that. According to Gladstone, this money actually comes from the Competitive Balance tax fund which is split between the union and MLB.

"That's what’s paying these guys,'' Gladstone explained. "It’s euphemistically called the Steinbrenner luxury tax because the Yankees always used to be over the payroll threshold. Any time a team goes over, they are taxed and that pool of monies, the CBT, is split among the league and union.''

In a letter that comes from the commissioner's office, these players are told, "These are gratituous payments paid from the general assets of the Commissioner of Baseball and do not create in you, or any other person, any claim against the assets of the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball. These payments are only payable to you while you are living. Neither your spouse nor any other beneficiary will be entitled to receive a payment.''

]]>Ex-Expos, Jays among non-vested retirees looking for more moneyhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/ex-expos-and-jays-among-non-vested-retirees-looking-for-more-moneyLegendary Western Canada Jays scout Don Cowan retiresToronto Blue JaysSandlotsCJ PentlandTue, 23 Jan 2018 22:24:46 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/zUWesu93VHs/legendary-western-canada-blue-jays-scout-don-cowan-retires54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a67afe8e4966b3ca873bd5fLegendary Toronto Blue Jays Western Canada scout Don Cowan has announced
his retirement. Canadian Baseball Network writer CJ Pentland caught up with
the scouting great to discuss his 25-year career with the Blue Jays
organization. Pentland also talks to Jamie Lehman and Kevin Briand, who
were fortunate enough to work with Cowan, about their retiring friend's
legacy.

By CJ Pentland

Canadian Baseball Network

It didn’t take long for Jamie Lehman to realize that Don Cowan was no ordinary scout.

Now the West Coast Regional Crosschecker for the Toronto Blue Jays, Lehman flew out to Langley, B.C. in 2009, shortly after being hired as a scout himself. Cowan picked up Lehman and they headed off to meet a player, and when done, Lehman asked if he could get dropped off at the Best Western where he was staying.

Cowan said no need – Lehman could stay with him in his guest room.

“I never felt anything but at home at Don’s place, with him and his wife, Louise,” said Lehman. “The grandkids were always over, along with his three children. It became the best part of those trips. Spending time catching up with his family, getting to talk baseball and life, and everything in between.

“That says a lot about who Don is. He opened his home to me when we barely knew each other, and we got to spend a lot of great time together both as colleagues and then as great friends over dinners, breakfasts and a few rounds of golf in between.”

Since 1993, Cowan was a fixture at ballparks in Western Canada as one of the most respected scouts in the region. Yet in January 2018, after nearly 25 years in the Blue Jays' system, Cowan officially retired.

A former player, Cowan grew up playing ball in South Vancouver and later spent three years in the Minnesota Twins system as an outfielder and second baseman. He reached as high as class-A Orlando, but his walk-to-strikeout ratio – 85-to-93 – perhaps provides an early indication of his careful eye.

Cowan remained active in Canadian baseball after his playing days ended in 1964, getting involved with Baseball B.C. with fellow scout Wayne Norton, and working on Baseball Canada coaching manuals. It was in 1993 when he was heading up the B.C. Selects Program and taking teams to the Canada Games and other national championships that former Blue Jays scouting director Bill Byckowski reached out to him and said he was looking for someone to scout Western Canada. Cowan took on the position, and had been there ever since.

Over those 25 years, Cowan had a first-row seat to many changes in Canadian baseball. One of the biggest was adapting to Canadians being included in the draft. The Blue Jays often scouted players from out west through the Vancouver-based National Baseball Academy, which they helped develop, but the scene changed in 1991 when Canadians became eligible.

“Initially, we weren’t sure where players would go in the draft – how good they were, and where they’d be taken,” said Cowan. “But we soon found out with Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, B.C.) when he went in the third round, because we really liked him, and just before he graduated saw his improvement. We were very interested, and he went in the third round, and that was sort of a surprise; nobody had gone that high.”

More talent continued to develop out west, with the next notable crop coming in 2002. Left-handed pitcher Adam Loewen (Surrey, B.C.) out of the Whalley Chiefs program was a guaranteed top-end pick, and went fourth overall to the Baltimore Orioles, but the Jays had their eyes on Jeff Francis out of the University of British Columbia. Cowan did a lot of legwork on the lefty from North Delta, and Toronto had worked out a deal and planned to take him 14th overall. As far as they were concerned, no one picking before them had any interest.

But then the Colorado Rockies muddled things up – changing their mind and selecting Francis ninth overall. Cowan called it probably the biggest disappointment during his career, as Toronto thought they had him signed, but it ultimately didn’t work out.

“He was a great kid, and I think he would’ve played for the Blue Jays and would’ve liked that," said Cowan.

The note about Francis being a great kid touches upon what others saw as Cowan’s greatest strength as a scout. For Cowan, he didn’t just scout a ball player and their performance, but the overall person.

“Without question the things that made Don so valuable were his relationships and passion,” said Lehman. “For someone that has been in the game as long as he has, he still outworked everybody. He never missed a pitch, kept incredibly detailed notes, and knew every player and every family better than the other teams. Scouting at the end of the day comes down to relationships, and that's what made Don so valuable.”

“Just everything [set him apart],” said Kevin Briand, a current pro scout for the Blue Jays and their former director of Canadian scouting. “Hard-working, very organized, very knowledgeable. I want to try and find the right words – a great representative of the organization. Classy, very good relationships with the baseball community. Just – he was awesome.”

Cowan’s ability to connect with players, coaches, and their families has played an even more critical role as the scouting landscape continued to evolve. He cites the role of statistics and showcases as two major differences from when he started out, but those didn’t change his scouting mindset.

“The numbers, I think they get a little confusing sometimes because you don’t know where the numbers came from – did a guy hit .600 against weak pitching, or did he hit .250 against really good pitching – so they rely on statistics and looks, and the way the players play,” said Cowan. “And as I say, the good ones are getting more sophisticated – they’ve got a lot of these skills, but it comes down to how well they compete, and that’s what you’ve really got to look for: what kind of at bats do they have against pitching, [and] do they battle.

“It becomes a mental thing as much as anything. I think the kids, especially the ones back East, are better mentally prepared than they were 20 years ago, and probably same thing for the kids out here [in the West]. I think when they get better competition it really helps them, and a lot them are going to these showcases, but you’ve got to be careful with that too. The kids years ago didn’t go to the showcases, and you got to watch them compete all the time. Nowadays you’ve got to be careful with the showcases because the kids can just look good in a showcase – especially a pitcher. He can go out there and throw 90, 95 for one inning, but the question is ‘can he do anything in a game?’ over seven or eight innings. And I think you’ve got to be careful of that.

“Scouts before said ‘you don’t scout performance, you scout the kids’, and I think more and more people at the top are scouting performances. And you’ve got to be careful; especially when it’s a showcase, that you’re not just seeing a quick flash of somebody looking good, and then you really start to like him. You’ve got to see him over time.”

Three such players that Cowan scouted thoroughly and connected with were pitchers Andrew Case, Shane Dawson, and Tom Robson, all of whom are in the Blue Jays minor league system in double-A or higher.

Case, who hails from Saint John, N.B., made a name for himself when he threw a no-hitter at Tournament 12 in 2013, but Cowan already had him on his horizon – having seen him pitch at the Prairie Baseball Academy of the Canadian College Baseball Conference. While other teams clamored to sign Case after his no-no, the Jays capitalized on Cowan’s prior history and relationship with Case and PBA to sign him in October of 2013. Last season, he reached triple-A after posting a 1.58 ERA and 1.025 WHIP at double-A New Hampshire.

Cowan was also the first Jays scout to lay eyes on Dawson, who came from small-town Drayton Valley, Alta., and also attended PBA. Toronto selected the lefty in the 17th round of the 2012 draft, and he has reached double-A and appeared on Canada’s 2017 World Baseball Classic roster.

Robson was one of the first players Lehman and Cowan signed together out West, as the Jays took him in the fourth round of 2011. The Ladner, B.C., native has suffered some injury setbacks, including Tommy John Surgery, but Cowan still believes he has a really good chance of making the majors – noting that he pitched just as well as Aaron Sanchez and Noah Syndergaard when they played for the Vancouver Canadians; Robson had a 0.94 ERA over 38 1/3 innings pitched with the C’s in 2013, and helped Vancouver to a Northwest League championship.

“We felt great about taking Tom Robson in the fourth round because of how well we knew Tom, and his family,” said Lehman. “That was because of Don’s legwork, and the years he spent in those ballparks talking to coaches, players and families.”

Cowan’s legacy will extend far beyond the players he scouted and signed, though. His impact extends past the boundaries of baseball, as he has influenced players and scouts alike to be better individuals.

“I’ve learned so much from Don, it’s hard to narrow it down to even just a few things,” said Lehman. “As a scout he has taught me to be patient, be thorough and be aggressive. You have to like players to get players. It is so easy to go scout and say a kid can’t play, [and] you’ll be right 95% of the time. But Don has an incredible ability to see a player's potential through his flaws, and that is an incredible lesson for young scouts to learn.

“More important than anything he taught me about baseball is what I learned from him as a person. Don is an incredible person, a great husband, a great father and an incredible grandfather. His dedication to his family and the care and kindness that he shows to everyone he meets are attributes I hope to emulate. When I started working with Don on that first trip to Langley in 2010 we were colleagues. But Don, Louise, his children and grandchildren are family to my wife and I, and we now plan trips around when we can see them. We were even able to spend a night on our honeymoon in Maui with them, and it was by far the most fun we had on the entire trip.”

Briand often seemed at a loss for words on how best to describe what set Cowan apart.

“The quality of the person overall,” he summed up. “The person, the baseball person, a terrific family man. He was a very good employee. Again, I’m repeating myself, but the legacy is that he was tremendous in several different areas. We were very lucky to have him for all those years.”

As for what Cowan will remember most, it all comes back to the players and the Canadian baseball community.

“I think just the kids,” he said. “Just being there sort of inspires some of the kids to play better, or to be recognized, and I think we were able to help a lot of kids. Not just to get signed, but to get into a college or something like that – to the next level. There have been so many good kids out here over the last 20, 25 years, and I think it’s encouraged them to do better.

“You meet a lot of good people across Canada, too – I really enjoyed that. There are lots of good scouts out there and lots of nice people that are involved in baseball. I think, generally speaking, baseball in the country in the last 25 years has really improved. The kids are playing at a much higher level; that’s good to see that. There are lots of good people in Baseball Canada in particular and what they’ve done and the programs they’re running – they’re helping the kids more than anybody get to the next level.”

Cowan also praised the efforts of Roberto Alomar and other former Blue Jays in their efforts to promote baseball across Canada.

While he has retired from his official title as scout, he still plans to be around the ball field. He plans watch his grandkids play, and might help his son, Steve coach them – “not that I’ve got much to offer,” he said with grand understatement. He says he’ll have no shortage of stuff to do in retirement: spending more time with his wife, hanging out with friends, playing more golf, travelling. Through it all, he will still have a lasting connection to the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Primarily, Don’s legacy will be one of dedication, humility and passion,” said Lehman. “There is no question his presence at local baseball fields will be missed by families, coaches, players and scouts. Without a doubt the Blue Jays' scouting department is losing an incredibly valuable contributor. His knowledge, the respect and credibility he carried into households wearing our logo is something you can’t just replace overnight.”

Veteran Canadian Women's National Team member Ashley Stephenson has been named a finalist for SABR's inaugural Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award. Photo Credit: Baseball Canada

By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA - She’s played in all seven World Baseball Softball Confederation Women’s Baseball World Cups, won a Pan Am Games silver medal and now Mississauga, Ont., native Ashley Stephenson is among four finalists for the inaugural Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Society For American Baseball Research’s (SABR) Women in Baseball Committee.

Stephenson, a member of the very first Baseball Canada Women’s National Team from 2004, joins professional baseball umpire Perry Barber, the late Edith Houghton a former scout with the Philadelphia Phillies and women’s baseball coach Justine Siegal as finalists for the award.

“I’m extremely honoured to be nominated for this award and be named alongside all of these amazing women,” said Stephenson. “Baseball has been such a huge part of my life so to receive recognition like this is truly special.”

Eligible candidates include any person with a sustained involvement in women’s baseball or any woman with a longtime involvement in baseball in any fashion — player, umpire, writer, executive, team owner, scout, etc.

Stephenson’s baseball resume certainly fits the criteria by virtue of her unparalleled international baseball accomplishments including two silver and three bronze medals at the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup and a Pan Am Games silver medal. She’s been named Women’s National Team Most Valuable Player on two occasions (2005, 2008) and was a recipient of the Jimmy Rattlesnake Award, honouring a member of the women’s national team for their on-field accomplishments, as well as their leadership and team spirit, in 2011 and 2016.

She’s is equally involved in promoting female baseball to young girls across Canada through her work with the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Academy. An accomplished athlete, Stephenson is a former National Champion hockey player at Wilfred Laurier University and is currently a Phys Ed teacher and coach at Frank Hayden Secondary School in Burlington, Ont.

To learn more about the Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award, and the other finalists, please click here.

]]>Stephenson named finalist for inaugural SABR awardhttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/stephenson-named-finalist-for-inaugural-sabr-awardBlue Jays land four prospects on Baseball America’s Top 100Minor leaguesToronto Blue JaysJay BlueTue, 23 Jan 2018 12:51:37 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/Njz3RjQuyGE/blue-jays-land-four-prospects-on-baseball-americas-top-10054f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a672d3ec8302557d7b3848aFour Toronto Blue Jays players have landed on Baseball America's list of
Top 100 prospects. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the top Blue Jay, sitting in
the third spot while Bo Bichette is at No. 8. Anthony Alford comes in at
No. 60 while Nate Pearson, last year's 28th overall pick, makes it to the
list in his first year at No. 91.

Baseball America released their list of baseball's Top 100 prospects on Monday morning and four Blue Jays landed on the list with two in the top 10.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) was the top Blue Jay, sitting in the third spot while Bo Bichette is at No. 8. Anthony Alford comes in at No. 60 while Nate Pearson, last year's 28th overall pick, makes it to the list in his first year at No. 91.

We all knew that Guerrero Jr. was going to be the top Blue Jay but the question was going to be how high would he rank in the Top 100. In Baseball America's estimation, Guerrero Jr. is ranked just behind Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna and newly signed and eligible RHP/OF Shohei Ohtani. Acuna made it to triple-A last year and jumps to No. 1 from the No. 67 position after 2016.

Ohtani, of course, is new to the list after being a dominant pitcher and hitter in Japan for several years. He gave up millions in potential pay because he decided to leave Japan at the age of 23 when teams signing him were under baseball's international signing restrictions. Still, Ohtani's potential as a pitcher and as a hitter puts him at No. 2.

For Guerrero Jr., his maturity, dominance of two minor league levels at the age of 18 last year makes him a very-highly ranked prospect. Guerrero Jr. jumps into the third spot after being the No. 20 ranked prospect last year after hitting a combined .323/.425/.485 with 28 doubles, two triples and 13 home runs at low-A Lansing and class-A Advanced Dunedin. Guerrero was considered for the No. 1 prospect spot but ultimately Acuna won out despite some of the BA staff thinking that Guerrero could have the highest upside of the three. Baseball America's grades for his tools stands out with an 80 grade for hit and 70 for power. While he's given below average grades for speed and fielding his arm grades at just above average (Note: a 50 grade is major league "average").

Bo Bichette comes in at No. 18 after leading the minor leagues in batting average and trailing his teammate, Guerrero Jr., in OBP with a .362/.423/.565 slash line. Bichette is only a year older than Guerrero Jr. and yet had one of the best seasons in the minor leagues last year. The power production with 41 doubles, four triples and 14 home runs (to go with 22 stolen bases) sets Bichette apart although most scouts think that his upside is slightly below Guerrero's. Bichette gets a 70 grade for his hitting and a 60 grade for power with another 60 for his arm and average to slightly below average grades for speed and fielding.

Anthony Alford's combination of batting eye, speed, defence and hit tool put him back in the Top 100 although his ranking has slipped. On his first go-round in the Top 100 after 2015, Alford was ranked No. 25 and last year he was ranked No. 59, coming in at No. 60 this year. Injuries remain the biggest worry with Alford as he missed time again last year. Still, hitting .310/.406/.429 in double-A is a big positive in his favour. Alford got 60 grades for his hitting tool as well as his speed and fielding while his arm is rated as below average and his power potential is a 50 grade.

Finally, hard-throwing Nate Pearson was ranked at No. 91. He dominated in the Northwest League with a 0.95 ERA and 0.58 WHIP, striking out 24 and walking only five. Originally projected to be a Top 20 draftee, Pearson's 100-mph fastball dropped in the draft and the Jays managed to get him at 28th overall. Pearson gets a 70 grade for his fastball while his slider grades at slightly above average and his changeup is graded average. His control and curveball are "only" 45 grades right now, limiting his possible movement on the list.

Having four players in the Top 100 shows that the Blue Jays' minor league system is rebounding from the late- and post-Alex Anthopoulos period. There are several minor leaguers who have the ability to contribute to the club this year although the cream of the crop (aside from Alford) are likely a year or two away.

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The 2017 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook is now available! Check out the Handbook page for more information!

]]>Blue Jays land four prospects on Baseball America’s Top 100https://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/blue-jays-land-four-prospects-on-baseball-americas-top-100Soroka, Quantrill, O'Neill crack Baseball America's Top 100 MLB ProspectsBaseball CanadaCanadians in the MinorsAdam MorissetteTue, 23 Jan 2018 12:39:36 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/1lXYjK8qLqs/soroka-quantrill-oneill-crack-baseball-americas-top-100-mlb-prospects54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a672b09ec212de4334dbdecFor the second consecutive year, three Junior National Team alumni have
cracked Baseball America’s Top 100 MLB Prospects. Right-handed pitchers
Mike Soroka (Atlanta Braves) and Cal Quantrill (San Diego Padres) made the
list at numbers 27 and 52, respectively while outfielder Tyler O’Neill (St.
Louis Cardinals) came in at number 86. Baseball Canada's Adam Morissette
has the details.

OTTAWA - For the second consecutive year, three Junior National Team alumni have cracked Baseball America’s Top 100 MLB Prospects.

Right-handed pitchers Mike Soroka (Atlanta Braves) and Cal Quantrill (San Diego Padres) made the list at numbers 27 and 52, respectively while outfielder Tyler O’Neill (St. Louis Cardinals) came in at number 86. All three players are on the list for the second year in a row.

Soroka, a native of Calgary, heads up the Canadian content with a Top-30 ranking and improves on his 2017 ranking of #48. The 20-year-old was nothing short of impressive during the 2017 season winning the Braves’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award while also representing Canada at the Future’s Game in Miami. The Braves took a chance advancing the then 19-year-old two levels to double-A after Spring Training and he made them look brilliant after putting together an All-Star caliber campaign that saw him go 11-8 with a 2.75 ERA. Soroka will be in big league camp with the Braves next month.

Teammates with Soroka in the Future’s Game, Port Hope, Ont., native Cal Quantrill is on the same path to the big leagues as his Canadian counterpart. The 22-year-old reached double-A in 2017, but more importantly pitched 116 innings just two years removed from Tommy John Surgery. The former eighth overall pick of the Padres in 2016 averaged nearly a strikeout per inning in 2017 and moved up 44 places from #96 on the Top 100 this time last year.

After struggling for the first time in his professional career and a midseason trade, Maple Ridge, B.C., native Tyler O’Neill hit his stride at triple-A Memphis and finished the season with 31 home runs and added four more in the playoffs as the Redbirds won the Pacific Coast league title under Canadian manager Stubby Clapp. The 22-year-old outfielder finished with an .850 OPS and drove in 95 runs proving that he’s ready to handle the challenge of the big leagues.

Soroka is one of eight Atlanta Braves’ players to make the Top 100 and lead the way among MLB organizations, while Quantrill is one of six Padres on the list, which is tied for second most among MLB clubs. O’Neill is one of four St. Louis Cardinals prospects to appear on the list.

]]>Soroka, Quantrill, O'Neill crack Baseball America's Top 100 MLB Prospectshttps://www.canadianbaseballnetwork.com/canadian-baseball-network-articles/soroka-quantrill-oneill-crack-baseball-americas-top-100-mlb-prospectsMathieson signs on for two more seasons in Japan, eyes 2020 OlympicsCanadians in the MajorsKevin GlewTue, 23 Jan 2018 03:47:03 +0000http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/canadianbaseballnetwork/CBN/~3/yBqavcTQ7HY/mathieson-signs-on-for-two-more-seasons-in-japan-eyes-2020-olympics54f9f8eee4b0cfcc918a27eb:54f9fbc6e4b017fadc65e96d:5a666ae49140b7a8bd860188For six seasons, Vancouver native Scott Mathieson has been conquering
Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) batters for the storied Yomiuri Giants.
Since heading to Japan in 2012, the 33-year-old right-hander, whose
fastball still registers in the high-90s, has posted a 2.30 ERA, averaged
10.4 strikeouts per nine innings and has set the NPB record for most holds
by a foreign player. So, with a resume like this, why isn't he pitching in
a major league bullpen?

Vancouver native Scott Mathieson has excelled as a reliever with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball for the past six seasons. Photo Credit: Japan Times

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

He’s far and away the most successful Canadian to pitch in Japanese professional baseball.

For six seasons, hard-throwing Vancouver native Scott Mathieson has been conquering Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) batters for the storied Yomiuri Giants, Japan’s version of the New York Yankees.

Since heading to Japan in 2012, the 33-year-old right-hander, whose fastball still registers in the high-90s, has posted a 2.30 ERA, averaged 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings and has set the NPB record for most holds by a foreign player.

Last season after registering a 2.24 ERA and striking out 79 batters in 68 1/3 innings, he was named the Canadian Baseball Network’s Pitcher of the Year in the foreign or independent ranks.

So, with a resume like this, why isn't he pitching in a major league bullpen?